BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Right guard Wyatt Teller’s calf strain will likely keep him from the field Sunday.
“It is doubtful,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I don’t like ruling guys out on Wednesdays so we will see how treatment goes and those type of things. He will continue to rehab and try to make it back.”
Teller underwent an MRI Monday after suffering the injury against New England.
The Pro Bowler is an integral part of the Browns top-ranked rushing attack that requires linemen to pull regularly to clear the patch for running back Nick Chubb.
“Next man up,” Chubb said. “We have a great O-line here. Coach Callahan does a great job with those guys having them ready. I know whoever he puts right there will be ready.”
Hjalte Froholdt stepped in last week against the Patriots after Teller departed and appeared to get some reps during the open portion of practice with the first unit Wednesday.
“He is an option,” Stefanski said. “There are a bunch of different guys who have played in there. Hjalte was the guy who obviously finished out the game last week.
We will kind of see where we go this week.”
Chris Hubbard, who has experience at guard does not sound like an option.
“He is really playing more tackle for us right now,” Stefanski said.
Big speech – After getting blown out 38-15 and committing three turnovers himself – two interception and a fumble – quarterback Jacoby Brissett addressed the team right after the game.
“It was just one of those moments where something needed to be said by somebody and as the quarterback, as the leader of the team I felt the liberty to do that,” Brissett said.
While no one will talk about what was said, Brissett’s message appears to have been appreciated by his teammates.
“I only do it because I hope people will listen because I need to hear it myself,” Brissett said. “So hopefully it translates. I think it will. I think it has.
Guys understand the urgency we need to play with and focus with this week of preparation, so that’s the mindset.”
Typically Stefanski is tasked with the post loss rah rah addresses but Brissett handled this one on his own.
“Whenever a player speaks up, players listen,” Stefanski said. “This is a peer-led thing. Jacoby has seen a lot in his career. I know he is a young man still, but he has seen a lot. I think it is important when he does speak up, I think the guys do listen. At the end of the day, it is a matter of doing. We do need to just follow through on all of the things that we are talking about.”
With the season on the brink of slipping away, there has been a lot of talking by leaders on both sides of the ball without the results.
Will Brissett’s speech change anything or have a tangible impact?
“It can if you do everything he said and take it seriously and actually do it,” Chubb said.
Feed Chubb – Chubb got just 12 carries against the Patriots and was limited to under 100 scrimmage yards for the first time this season thanks in part to the lack of touches.
“Of course I want the ball in my hands,” Chubb said. “It doesn’t have to be a run, it could be anything, but I trust in whatever the coaches have going on. I feel like we were behind, so we needed to throw the ball more and that’s what we did.”
Brissett threw it 45 times and not surprisingly the Browns ended up getting blown out, their third straight loss and fourth in five games.
“It’s been hard,” Chubb said of the losing streak. “Obviously work really hard in the offseason, coming to not quite what we all expected, but it’s still a long season, a long way to go. Anything can happen. We’re trying to stick around, starting with this game up front.
“The season isn’t over. We still have a long way to go. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re still in it.”
Garrett and Clowney watch – Both Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett did not practice Wednesday.
Clowney did not play last week against the Patriots after aggravating his sprained ankle the week before.
“He is coming along,” Stefanski said. “He is rehabbing very hard. He wants to get out there. Just see him practice and make sure that physically he can go be himself.”
Garrett underwent tests Tuesday on his sprained left shoulder after aggravating the injury while collecting his second sack of the afternoon in the fourth quarter.
Stefanski said “I do” when asked if Garrett was on track to play this week.
First pick gone – The Richard LeCounte era in Cleveland appears to be over. LeCounte, picked in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, was released from the practice squad Wednesday.
It marks the first time Andrew Berry has parted completely with one of his draft picks since taking over as EVP/GM.
Injury report – DNP: LG Joel Bitonio (rest), DE Jadeveon Clowney (ankle, knee,), RT Jack Conklin (ankle) WR Amari Cooper (rest), DE Myles Garrett (shoulder, biceps), OT Joe Haeg (concussion), RG Wyatt Teller (calf), CB Denzel Ward (concussion), TE David Njoku (rest), LB Tony Fields (illness); FULL: DE Alex Wright (quad, glute)
Up next – Practice Thursday.