CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns will have to make their playoff run without a key defender but appear ready to get another back in time for the Week 18 regular season finale in Cincinnati.
Here’s our top Brownie Bites from the final Friday of the regular season.
Walker to IR – Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was placed on injured reserve Friday, likely ending his season unless the Browns make the Super Bowl. Walker, who missed the previous three games, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee December 21. Walker started 12 games this season where he recorded 42 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Walker, voted a team captain this season, was also named the Browns’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Taking Walker’s roster spot is defensive end Sam Kamara, who was signed from the practice squad. Walker is the 15th player added to a reserve list due to injury.
Ogbo on the mend – After his season was put in jeopardy by a pectoral injury, defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo could play Sunday against the Bengals or at worst be ready for Wild Card weekend. “I'm definitely excited,” Okoronkwo said. “I wasn't going to miss this for the world at the beginning of the season. That's what you are working for, what your goal is, the Super Bowl. So I definitely want to be on this run as we make this run to the Super Bowl. So I'm really happy, I'm excited and I hope I just keep progressing how I have been.” Okoronkwo suffered the injury during a 31-27 win over the Jaguars on December 10 but rumors of his season being over were greatly exaggerated. “We couldn't tell y'all anything because we really didn't know,” Okoronkwo said. “So everything that was being said in the media, it was really just nonsense. For me. It was just continuing to do what the doctors say, keep on doing my part and just giving the time.” Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz marveled at how Okoronkwo was able to finish the game with the injury. “Just not trying to give up on my guys,” Okoronkwo said. “It's not a lot of guys out there. When somebody leaves, it puts a lot of stress on the other guys and at the same time I think of myself as a winner. I'm a competitor, so if I feel like I can go, then I'm definitely going to be out there and I'm going to do everything to not let my guys down.” Okoronkwo has tallied 12 tackles for loss, eight QB hits, 4.5 sacks while batting down a pass and recovering a fumble this season.
Wright stuff – Defensive end Myles Garrett will be among the idle players this week opening the door for Alex Wright to get extended snaps against the Bengals. Wright has tallied 4.0 sacks, four tackles for loss and QB hits, two pass breakups in addition to a forced fumble and fumble recovery in his second season. “I don't have to think as much. I don't have to worry about techniques and stuff,” Wright said. “Just actually trusting myself and just staying calm and collected throughout plays and just doing that. The rest take care of itself. So when I thought about that it was like, okay, I got everything under control.” During training camp Garrett would coach Wright up between reps during drills and the five-time Pro Bowler has continued giving the 2022 third-round pick tips during the season. “You can't ask for a better player to be there for you and he still does that to this day,” Wright said. “So I mean, we can be in the film room and does the same exact thing. So whatever you can take from Myles, trust me, he knows what he's doing, so he's going to lead you in the right direction.”
Bye week – Head coach Kevin Stefanski will use Sunday’s game as an opportunity to rest key players, allow some to recover from injuries and give reserves additional playing time. Although Stefanski would not itemize who will sit, the players known to be out this weekend are quarterback Joe Flacco, receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end Myles Garrett, safety Juan Thornhill, cornerback Greg Newsome II and kicker Dustin Hopkins.
Wait and see – While having to put Walker on IR is another blow, the Browns could get a few guys back for the playoffs. Receiver Elijah Moore isn’t out of concussion protocol but “he’s trending the right way,” according to Stefanski. Kicker Dustin Hopkins is “coming along. He's not ready yet, but we're treating it and he's progressing,” Stefanski said. Same goes for safety Grant Delpit. “Honestly, every single one of these injuries are different and we just got to treat them as such and make smart decisions based on where the guys are,” Stefanski said. Safety Juan Thornhill popping back up on the injury report with a calf injury will also be something to monitor next week. “Still dealing with that injury. We'll see how it goes over the next few days,” Stefanski said.
Injury report – OUT: S Juan Thornhill (calf), WR Amari Cooper (heel), CB Mike Ford Jr. (calf), DE Myles Garrett (shoulder, hamstring), K Dustin Hopkins (left hamstring), CB Greg Newsome (knee); QUESTIONABLE: P Corey Bojorquez (left quad), WR Marquise Goodwin (knee), LB Jordan Kunaszyk (calf), WR Elijah Moore (concussion)
