Browns likely bracing to begin the season without their top NFL Draft pick who is dealing with legal troubles

On a day that the Cleveland Browns received quite a bit of good news regarding players returning, there may be some bad news brewing for them.

According to Mary Kay Cabot , Browns rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. is expected to be placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Hall was charged with domestic violence on Aug. 13 and was arrested before posting bond.

Hall’s next court date is not until Sept. 10, a couple of days after the Browns host the Dallas Cowboys for Week 1 action. The NFL will conduct its own investigation of the situation and could issue a suspension to Hall no matter how the legal process plays out. A player on the list won’t count against the 53-man roster, so it would allow the Browns to carry an extra player that they were not going to before.

Since the incident, Hall has been a regular participant in training camp and played in both of the preseason games . Hall is accused of holding a gun to his fiancé’s head and threatening to kill her, according to court records. It is unknown when a suspension would come for Hall if that were to happen. The Browns and the NFL will likely let the legal process play out first.

When and if Hall is placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, it’ll hold him out of all football activities. Running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Josh Gordon are former players for the Browns who have been placed on the same list.

Missing the beginning of the season is not an ideal scenario for the rookie that Cleveland drafted out of Ohio State in April’s NFL Draft. If Hall is officially placed on the list, expect that to come before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline for teams to get down to 53 players on the roster.

Related: Browns Roster Cuts Tracker 2024: Keeping tabs on all of the moves to get to 53 players