TO MAKE ROOM FOR BROWNER
1) I don't think that we will be carrying TWELVE defensive backs. 11 was already too many.
2) Tavon Wilson is the first off the bench on passing downs (Harmon less often). Ebner is our dime back.
Ebner and Jones are two of our three top Ster's. Wilson is probably #4. In any case, they play a lot of special teams. The safety with the least production and the least special teams skills is Harmon. He could go, but it seems likely that Belichick will keep him for the season.
3) Dennard could be put on the IR list. He's been out for awhile, and we don't know how serious his injuries are.
4) And then there's UDFA Butler. The reality is that if Browner is activated or Dennard comes back, Butler will seldom be active. If both Browner and Dennard are on the team, Butler would have few reps unless there were two injuries. Even with both Browner and Dennard not there on Monday night, Butler only got reps when Belichick decided to bench Ryan after a penalty (and after some poor play). So, Butler is the #6 corner and a long way from contributing. HOWEVER, Butler is a good prospect and Belichick might want to keep this promising young prospect on the 53.
5) Alternatively, we could someone else on the defense (or even the offense, but we'll ignore that for now). Moore has done nothing, and hasn't even gotten reps with Buchanan out. Moore is a good prospect in a very thin DE group, so it is likely that he stays. Skinner is another defensive player that folks want to kick off the island. I don't know why. He's a reasonably good special teamer and a backup linebacker, our only one since White doesn't really play linebacker (one rep all last year). If Skinner goes, another linebacker like Fleming or Davis would be signed.
BOTTOM LINE
For me, the choice is between cutting Butler, IRing Dennard and one of the safeties. If Dennard is expected to be back anytime soon, he's stay It does not seem that we will increase from 11 to 12 defensive backs on the 53.