The Cleveland Browns have announced that four key starters will not participate in their upcoming road game against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. The decision comes as the team grapples with a series of injuries that could significantly impact their performance on the field.
The big injury this week is cornerback Denzel Ward, who will miss the game with a calf injury. Tight end David Njoku is out, with a knee injury. As for Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin, both are out. Teller is currently nursing a calf injury and Conklin is still in concussion protocol. The lack of these three in particular brings further worries with their depth and overall ability to salt away games on both the defensive and offensive fronts.
It’s the roster that takes the biggest hit. Linebacker Adin Huntington and running back Dylan Sampson are each missed, with Sampson battling through calf and hand wounds. Maybe the most striking of all, quarterback Deshaun Watson is still on the physically unable to perform list with an Achilles tear. Even with this disappointment, Watson has been a GREAT success story. During his second week of practice, they ramped up his workload by having him run the scout team offense.
The Browns have ruled out a few key players ahead of the Sunday matchup. Though guard Joel Bitonio is nursing knee and back ailments, Zinter is currently listed with a back injury. Wide receivers Malachi Corley and Cedric Tillman are both questionable to go. They’ve been concussed over the last week of practices.
As the Browns prepare for this challenging matchup against the Bears, their coaching staff will need to strategize effectively to compensate for these absences. Injuries to important players can definitely throw a wrench in a team’s intended game plan. That places even further burdens on those who are emerging to take their place.
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