Berea, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Over the years the Browns have seen their fair share of the unexplainable and bizarre.
Last Friday they added an unfortunate new chapter to the ledger when three defensive backs suffered hamstring injuries within a short span during practice.
“It was all within 10 minutes of each other,” head coach Freddie Kitchens said.
Kitchens tried to take the rash of injuries in stride.
“I don’t know if that is contagious or I don’t know if it is more of a general practitioner doctor question in case something is running around the facility,” Kitchens joked.
Cornerbacks Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and rookie safety Sheldrick Redwine all went down within the same period of practice, their last leading up to Sunday night’s 20-13 loss to the Rams.
“It was crazy, man, because I didn’t know Denzel went down,” Williams said Monday afternoon. “It was just like, man, how did we both go down in the same day and we both got the same injury which is weird.”
The injuries forced the Browns to field their backups in the secondary, but luckily veterans T.J. Carrie and Terrance Mitchell had plenty of starting experience and could start for several teams around the league.
“I haven’t seen it before,” Carrie, who had an interception late in the third quarter, said.
Carrie hopes the rash of injuries will be a lesson learned not only for the two young corners but the team.
“Definitely we have to look at ourselves as far as recovery and what we can do as a whole,” Carrie said. “Everyone has to do their part, players as well, hydrate and stretching and rolling out. The way we practice, all those things are combined within each other. It’s something that as a pro, you have to take care of your body.
“Those type of injuries definitely affect the team and they hurt all of us, right? They not only hurt the players, but they hurt the team as a whole. It’s something we’ve got to look into and definitely get correct.
Jermaine Whitehead and Eric Murray subbed at safety for Damarius Randall and Morgen Burnett, but that was expected with Randall and Burnett sitting the week of practice out.
Juston Burris, claimed off waivers Friday, started and played every defensive snap. It helped he was in camp and knew the base defense. Burris came up with the interception off linebacker Joe Schobert’s deflection that gave the offense one last shot at the Rams late in the second half.
He might have had a pick 6 had he not run into Schobert on the return.
“I wanted to. It just didn’t happen,” Burris said. “I think I should’ve side-stepped Joe and made the play. That’s on me, but still, I should’ve went to the house.”
Hubbard hobbled – Right tackle Chris Hubbard hopes to return soon after suffering a foot injury against the New York Jets that kept him out of practice last week and out of Sunday night’s loss to the Rams.
“Jets game, man, just one of those things on the turf,” Hubbard said. “Rolled my foot and that’s it.”
Fortunately, Hubbard will not require surgery, although he’s not sure if he’ll be allowed to practice this week.
“We’ll see,” Hubbard said. “We’ll see what they let me do.”
Until Hubbard returns, Justin McCray will be counted on to fill the void. Hubbard felt McCray held his own.
“I think the guys up front did a great job,” Hubbard said. “Justin, man, he did a great job holding it down and as a unit they looked good.”
Rex roars – Following another underwhelming performance from Baker Mayfield, former Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan ripped the Browns QB on ‘Get Up.’
“He’s overrated as hell,” Ryan said.
“Absolutely, I bought into the dang hype, not to the point of everybody is saying he’s going to be the league MVP.”
Ryan explained what he’s seen from Mayfield when asked what he’s doing wrong.
“What’s he doing right?” Ryan said. “Here’s a guy right now that is a one-read guy, and then he’s going to improvise. He’s got to realize you are one of the slowest guys on that field when you take off with it. The ball’s not coming out in rhythm, he’s staring down guys and you’re not that accurate down the field.”
When asked if Kitchens will eventually figure things out Ryan responded, “You mean before they fire him?” adding that Kitchens’ draw call on fourth-and-9 “was the worst call I’ve ever seen.”
