BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney returned to practice Friday after missing the previous two days due to an illness.
He is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's opener at Kansas City on the team's injury report.
Clowney stretched and went through the individual and positional drills during the portion of practice that was open to reporters.
“He obviously was sick so good getting him back in here,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It was nice seeing him out there at practice.”
On Thursday, defensive coordinator Joe Woods indicated that he was not concerned about Clowney's status for Sunday's opener against the Chiefs.
Regardless of Clowney’s availability, defensive end Myles Garrett won’t let it affect his approach or how he plays the game Sunday.
“I’m going to go out there and do what I do, regardless. I’m sure glad that he’s back,” Garrett said. “I’ll never sell that short. But, you know, I wasn’t playing with Clowney last year, my first three years. So if anything happens I’m not going to be afraid to take on the challenge with the rest of the guys in the locker room because I know they’re just as prepared.”
The Browns signed Clowney, who has played a full regular season slate just once in his career, to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million with incentives in the hopes he'll bolster the pass rush opposite of Myles Garrett.
“He’s a disruptive football player,” defensive run game coordinator Ben Bloom said Friday. “He’s got length, he’s got instincts, he plays upfield and he’s a big human being, we all know that. Whatever alignment he has across the D-line, he’s going to be an effective player. It’s nice having players with versatility, whether they’re linebackers, D-linemen, secondary, whatever, versatility is a good thing.”
OBJ Questionable – Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was limited all week during practice and is also listed as questionable Sunday.
“We will use the next 48 hours with all of these guys and determine who is playing and who is not,” Stefanski said. “We will let you know 90 minutes before the game.”
While Stefanski was sparse with any details concerning Beckham’s readiness to return after suffering a torn ACL in Week 7 last year and undergoing surgery in early November, he did confirm that the prolific receiver has yet to go through any full contact work on the practice field and has not suffered any kind of setback.
While it looks like No. 13 will play based on limited practice observations, his status likely won’t be determined until Sunday.
“All of the guys who are rehabbing from any injury, we make sure that we follow the medical advice and go through the rehab process like that, so he is no different,” Stefanski said.
Kicking concern – The Browns added kicker Chase McLaughlin to their injury report Friday afternoon with a right hamstring injury.
McLaughlin is listed as questionable with the injury.
The team said McLaughlin was a full participant in Friday's practice.
Chris Naggar is on the practice squad if needed.
Great expectations – Growing up on the east side of Cleveland, no one needs explain to running back Kareem Hunt the excitement that is boiling over with the season upon us.
“It’s great. I haven’t seen the city so happy, looking forward to football season,” Hunt, who starred at Willoughby South High School, said Friday. “We used to be looking forward to going 0-16 or getting one win.
Now it’s high expectations around here and it’s a lot different from growing up and watching the Browns.”
The Browns are now considered among the league’s elite and a Super Bowl contender, and Hunt is part of the reason why along with cornerback Denzel Ward, a Nordonia High School alum.
Last season’s 11-5 finish and playoff win at Pittsburgh just three years removed from going 0-16 to cap off the worst three-year stretch in NFL history of 4-44 has northeast Ohio ready to erupt and hoping for an even better finish in 2021.
“It’s crazy how it changed around,” Hunt said. “We plan on continuing this for a long, long time.”
Captain’s orders – For the second straight year the Browns will not have team captains.
As he did last year, Stefanski will name weekly game captains instead.
“I just feel like you do not need that ‘C’ on the chest to be a leader,” Stefanski said. “I feel like each game highlighting one guy and what he means to the team and having him be the captain works better for us.”
Stefanski declined to reveal who the captain for the opener will be but he did announce it to the team at practice Friday.
Uni watch – The Browns will open the season wearing what they did last January – white jerseys and orange pants.
The team is expected to debut their commemorative 75th anniversary uniform mashup Week 3 at home against the Bears. NFL rules limit the Browns to wearing them three times this season –so they'll also wear them for Sunday night football at Baltimore as well as on Christmas at Green Bay.
Injury report – OUT: G Michael Dunn (back), LB Tony Fields II (illness); QUESTIONABLE: DE Jadeveon Clowney (illness), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (knee), S Grant Delpit (hamstring), S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (ankle), C J.C. Tretter (knee), K Chase McLaughlin (hamstring); EXPECTED TO PLAY: WR Rashard Higgins (hamstring), CB Troy Hill (hamstring), CB Greedy Williams (groin), LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring)
Up next – Browns at Chiefs Sunday at 4:15.
