So my roster projection from back then looks quite different today, at least beyond the starters. I’ve updated it below, crossing out where I was wrong and adding names in bold to their correct places.

Also-ran: K Jason Reda

So I correctly projected the fate of just 57 of the 84 players who were Browns as of that date. While most of the starters were established, I ended up completely striking out on the practice squad. It’s all good, though. Nice to see Alex Hall earn his shot sooner rather than later, and it’s always a good sign when Phil and friends are quick to bring in a few of the guys they’ve been monitoring around the league.

This program, now in its fourth year, is finally maturing, settling on starters early and finally cutting bait with its own early draftees (Travis Wilson and David McMillan) in favor of younger players with higher upsides or faster development curves.

The myriad injuries may very well prove decisive against Dallas on Sunday. Playing without Cribbs and Pool would be tough. Yet another ding on the offensive line could be catastrophic in the near term. The offensive skill players (DA, Braylon, Jamal) may be rusty. Special teams return and coverage units probably won’t be as cohesive as they need to be.

But thereafter, the situation is bound to improve. Sign a veteran off the street after the first game, and you can drop him later on without paying the whole year’s salary. Another DB and/or WR wouldn’t surprise me, but barring further injury, I’m not excessively anxious for it either.

So it might be a little thin, a little tight and tense as the regular season gets up to speed. But I look for the Brownies to be right up there in the end, battling the Steelers head-to-head for the division title after Christmas.

That seems a long time away too, and it is. In the meantime, it should be quite a show.