The Browns' goal entering training camp was to craft a roster that served two purposes: Put the team in the best position to win now and in the future.
"We've talked a lot about needing to find the guys who embody the values that we like and will make us successful in this league," Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said. "As we look at our 53-man roster, we've got a lot of young talent and guys that we want to develop. And the key thing for us is to maintain and really create that young nucleus of talent that we'll build off of for some time and that's a blend of our veterans — (Joe) Thomas and (Joe) Haden and others, (Demario) Davis, (John) Greco — but also with the youngest guys on our roster and rookies, some UDFAs."
The Browns' front office has been busy since the start of training camp, swinging three trades and staying active on the waiver wire. The result is a season-opening roster that is heavy on youth and new faces, a group spearheaded by 13 of the team's 14 2016 draft picks.
Brown believes the Browns have a coaching staff well-equipped for a roster filled with young, promising talent. They've been tasked to get the most out of them, and Browns coach Hue Jackson has embraced the challenge.
"I knew we had a chance to be (young). I didn't know how young we would be. We have what we have," Jackson said. "I'm excited about the guys that we have. We just have to coach them up and get them better."
Take a look at the Cleveland Browns roster as of September 1, 2017.
Of the 62 players on the Browns roster -- a total that includes players who are currently suspended or on injured reserve -- 28 were drafted. Twenty-one of the 28 were selected in the past two draft classes, including 13 from the 2016 group.
Half of the 62 players were acquired one way or another in 2016.
"I think you've seen a lot of guys make some real steps ahead and it's not the case every time you pick a player, they come in and they're able to produce but the rookies have developed, the veterans have developed," Brown said. "The staff has changed the work ethic and pace of what our practices have been and set an expectation here of kind of success and I think for us it's critical that we maintain that through the season. I'm very confident in that group, led by Hue's energy and enthusiasm but also with the supporting staff of the coordinators and position coaches he's assembled."
Going all the way back to 2007, here's how the Browns, who will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday for the 2016 season opener, came together.
2007
Drafted: OL Joe Thomas (1st round)
2010
Drafted: DB Joe Haden (1st)
2011
Trade: OL John Greco (Acquired from Rams for conditional pick)
2012
Drafted: WR Josh Gordon (2nd [supplemental]); DL John Hughes III (3rd)
Waivers: LB Tank Carder (From Buffalo)
2013
Drafted: DL Armonty Bryant (7th)
Waivers: DB Jordan Poyer (Philadelphia)
Free agent: TE Gary Barnidge, *DL Desmond Bryant
2014
Drafted: OL Joel Bitonio (2nd), LB Christian Kirksey (3rd)
Waivers: *RB Glenn Winston (From San Francisco)
Free agent: RB Isaiah Crowell, WR Andrew Hawkins, LS Charley Hughlett, DL Jamie Meder
2015
Drafted: DL Danny Shelton (1st), OL Cameron Erving (1st), LB Nate Orchard (2nd), RB Duke Johnson Jr. (3rd), DL Xavier Cooper (3rd), DB Ibraheim Campbell (4th), FB Malcolm Johnson (6th), TE Randall Telfer (6th)
Waivers: DB Don Jones (New Orleans), OL Austin Pasztor (Jacksonville)
Free agent: *WR Rannell Hall, QB Josh McCown, WR Terrelle Pryor Sr., DB Tramon Williams
2016
Drafted: WR Corey Coleman (1st), DL Emmanuel Ogbah (2nd), DL Carl Nassib (3rd), OL Shon Coleman (3rd), QB Cody Kessler (3rd), LB Joe Schobert (4th), WR Ricardo Louis (4th), DB Derrick Kindred (4th), TE Seth DeValve (4th), WR Jordan Payton (5th), OL Spencer Drango (5th), WR Rashard Higgins (5th), LB Scooby Wright III (7th)
Trade: DB Jamar Taylor (Acquired from Miami for swap of 7th round picks)
Waivers: RB George Atkinson III (Oakland), DB Marcus Burley (Seattle), DL Tyrone Holmes (Jacksonville), LB Corey Lemonier (San Francisco), DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun (Jacksonville)
Free agent: LB Dominique Alexander, OL Alvin Bailey, P Britton Colquitt, LB Demario Davis, QB Robert Griffin III, DB Tracy Howard, *DL Nile Lawrence-Stample, K Patrick Murray, *RB Rajion Neal, DL Stephen Paea, *WR Dennis Parks, *DL Dylan Wynn
