Week 10 opened with a mostly encouraging injury picture for the Browns, even if a few familiar names were still missing when the team took the field Wednesday.
Cleveland got starting quarterback Deshaun Watson back on the practice field, along with defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who had both been out for last week’s narrow loss to the New Orleans Saints. That defeat left the Browns at 5-4, and now they turn to a home matchup with the Houston Texans.
The Wednesday report still included four nonparticipants, including one of the team’s top offensive weapons. Here’s where things stand as Cleveland works through the first injury report of the week.
Denzel Boston was listed with calf and toe issues, but the concern level remains low. He had already been dealing with a calf injury that limited him early last week, yet he still played a career-high 68 offensive snaps against the Saints and made a 60-yard catch.
The toe injury is new to the report, but Todd Monken did not sound worried. He told reporters he expects Boston back in at least a limited role Thursday, and Boston should be ready to go before Cleveland’s bye week.
Ronnie Hickman’s situation is a little more delicate. The safety is in the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol after Sunday’s game, according to Monken, which gives him the full week to move through the process.
If Hickman can get in at least a limited practice Thursday or Friday, he should have a solid chance to suit up against Houston. If he can’t, rookie Emmanuel McNeil-Warren would be in line for a much bigger workload.
Michael Burton also sat out Wednesday with a calf injury. The fullback left Sunday’s game with the issue, though he did return against the Saints, which suggests it may not be too serious.
Still, with Burton as the only fullback on the roster, Cleveland would need to adjust if he can’t play. He has logged just 82 offensive snaps this season, with a season high of 15 against Carolina, so it wouldn’t be a shock if the Browns chose to hold him out until after the bye week.
Elgton Jenkins was the final player listed, and his absence from Wednesday’s practice wasn’t much of a surprise. The center has been managing a knee injury for weeks, and this has followed a familiar pattern: missed Wednesday, limited Thursday, full on Friday. Jenkins handled all 73 offensive snaps against the Saints, per Pro Football Focus, so there’s no reason to think that routine changes now.
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Browns Defense Suddenly Has A Problem Cleveland Can't Ignore
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Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has stressed the need to address the issues directly, with the Browns trying to stay disciplined and physical against the run. The bigger question now is whether that message turns into a quick correction, because the early-season edge this unit carried has been harder to find lately, and the margin for error is shrinking fast. [Read more 🡒]
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Deshaun Watson Faces A Browns Moment That Feels Bigger Than One Game
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The backdrop makes this more than just another midseason matchup. Watson is in the final year of his contract, the Browns need a win to improve their record, and the Texans have their own push to get closer to .500. For all the familiar faces and old storyline threads in this game, the larger question is what it means when Watson gets back on the field in a moment that feels bigger than one Sunday. [Read more 🡒]