BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Myles Garrett spent Friday’s practice on the side while fellow defensive end Jadeveon Clowney returned after missing the previous two sessions this week.
Both players are officially questionable, but Garrett made it pretty clear he plans to play Sunday.
“I'm confident I'm going to play,” Garrett said following practice Friday.
After being given Wednesday to rest, Garrett was limited Thursday with ankle and knee injuries the team said on their daily injury report.
“I'm fully expecting to go,” Garrett said. “It's been bothering me since last week. I had some pain then, even the week before. Nobody's 100% across the league, so I've just got to make sure I'm as close to there as possible and make sure I can be a positive force when I'm out there.”
Clowney is dealing with an elbow injury.
“We’ll just see how it goes over the next 48 hours,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Wills questionable Left tackle Jedrick Wills did not practice Friday and he will likely be a pregame decision.
“I think he has a chance to play but we’ll continue to evaluate him and use the next 48 hours to make that determination,” Stefanski said.
Wills has been absent all week as the left ankle injury suffered in the second quarter of a Week 1 loss at Kansas City continues to bother him. He has started all three games since but not finished any of them.
Should Wills not go, Blake Hance or rookie James Hudson III would be called upon to start.
Hubbard done for year – Backup tackle Chris Hubbard will require season-ending surgery to repair a torn triceps muscle according to NFL Network.
The news is a blow to the Browns depth on the offensive line.
Hubbard was limited Wednesday but has missed the last two days with the triceps injury, which he also suffered in Week 1 after replacing Wills.
Off target – The 29-point differential in Baker Mayfield’s completion percentage from the first two games of the season to the previous two games is hard not to notice.
According to ESPN’s stats and info and published by ESPN’s Jake Trotter on Twitter Friday, Mayfield’s off-target rate for the first two games was 8%, which was the second-best in the NFL. The last two games his off-target rate is 32%, which ranks last in the league and coincides with the torn left labrum.
“He has told you guys that it is not a concern of his, and I have watched him practice, and he has done a nice job,” Stefanski said.
Welcome back – Cornerback Denzel Ward, defensive end Takkarist McKinley, linebacker Malcolm Smith, center J.C. Tretter, tight end David Njoku and Clowney all returned to practice after being idle Thursday.
Lee elevated – Linebacker Elijah Lee, waived Tuesday and signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, was elevated to the active roster Friday morning.
The Browns still have one roster spot remaining, which likely will be used to activate linebacker Anthony Walker on Saturday from injured reserve.
“[Walker] looked good to me out there,” Stefanski said. “We will see what we do here in the next couple of days.”
Injury report – OUT: CB Greg Newsome II (calf), OL Chris Hubbard (triceps); QUESTIONABLE: DE Jadeveon Clowney (elbow), LB Tony Fields Jr. (shoulder), DE Myles Garrett (knee/ankle), CB Troy Hill (toe), DE Takkarist McKinley (ankle/knee), TE David Njoku (knee), LB Malcolm Smith (abdomen), C J.C. Tretter (knee/back), LT Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle), CB Denzel Ward (neck); EXPECTED TO PLAY: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), RT Jack Conklin (knee), DT Malik Jackson (rest/not injury related)
Up next – Browns at Chargers Sunday at 4:05 p.m.