CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns injury induced roster shuffle continues with the playoffs in their sights.
Here’s our top Brownie Bites from Tuesday.
DTR to IR – Backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was placed on injured reserve after he suffered a hip injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win at Houston. Thompson-Robinson was using a crutch in the locker room Tuesday morning on his right side. P.J. Walker, who has made two starts this season and appeared in six games was signed back to the active 53. Thompson-Robinson’s rookie season ends with him having completed 60 of 112 passes for 440 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. He ran 14 times for 65 more yards. DTR also scored on a 2-point conversion against the Texans Sunday.
Hopkins out – Kicker Dustin Hopkins is out this week with a left hamstring injury. The good news is that it is his plant leg. The bad news, the Browns don’t know if he’ll be available come playoff time. “I can't say. I don't know,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. On Monday the Browns added kicker Riley Patterson to the practice squad. “[He] Came in, did a nice job in his workout, obviously has production in this league in this season,” Stefanski said. “So a guy we're comfortable with.” Patterson, who was originally signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2021, has appeared in 37 career games with the Lions (2021 and 2023) and Jaguars (2022). He has made 58 of 66 field goal attempts and 87 of 90 PATs. This season, he appeared in 13 games with the Lions and converted 15 of 17 field goal attempts. Hopkins, who was leading fan voting for the Pro Bowl, set franchise records for field goals made and makes from beyond 50 yards this year and he is four points shy of breaking Jim Brown’s single season team scoring record.
Bojorquez questionable – Punter Corey Bojorquez, who was also having a Pro caliber year, suffered a quadriceps injury while filling in for Hopkins on kickoffs. As a result, the Browns signed punter Matt Haack to the practice squad because Bojorquez may not be available against the Jets. “We'll see. Not sure yet,” Stefanski said. Originally signed by Miami as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Haack has appeared in 98 career games with the Dolphins (2017-20), Bills (2021) and with Bubba Ventrone and the Colts (2022). He has averaged 44.5 yards per punt on 429 career attempts with 160 downed inside the 20. The Browns are allowed two practice squad elevations per game it appears both will have to be used to elevate Patterson and Haack. “We feel good about our plan,” Stefanski said. “We know we'll have a kicker and a punter that we feel good about. We know that.”
High road – Last September Joe Flacco rallied the Jets from 13 down late in the fourth quarter to beat the Browns. This year he’s rallied the Browns and has his sights on beating his former team that didn’t bother calling when Aaron Rodgers was lost for the season to clinch a playoff berth for Cleveland. “I enjoyed my time while I was there and it is what it is,” Flacco said. “I'm happy to be where I am, that's for sure. Listen, there's 32 teams in the NFL. They're just another one of those teams. I got a lot of guys over there I really respect and had an awesome few years with in that locker room. So a lot of respect for those guys.” Since taking over as the starter on December 3, Flacco has resuscitated the Browns season. He’s completed just under 60% of his passes for 1,307 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The yardage and TDs are team records for a QB in his first four starts and Flacco has given fans hop the season isn’t sunk with 14 players on injured reserve. “This city's been unbelievable,” Flacco said. “I mean, I can't say enough about how welcoming everybody has been, especially that is the one strange part I would say. Not necessarily putting on the uniform and playing, but just coming from Baltimore for most of my career and just seeing everybody out in your regular part of your day and how welcoming the city's been… It's definitely been a little bit surreal in terms of how people have treated me around here.”
Taking shots – With Flacco at the helm, Stefanski hasn’t hesitated to air it out in recent weeks. The first play against Houston went to Amari Cooper for 53 down to the 6 and later the two hooked up on a 75-yard touchdown. “I think it's always dependent on the scheme that you're playing oftentimes,” Stefanski said. “And then with shots, there's games, you go a bunch of games in a row, you hit all of them. You go a bunch of games in a row, you can't hit a shot. It just - those come and go as well.” Flacco has 11 completions that have gone for at least 30 yards with three of those over 40 and four over 50. “My arm feels great,” Flacco said. “I don't know if I can throw the ball quite as far as I did back then, probably because I don't take time out of my day to work on throwing the ball as far as I can anymore. But in terms of arm strength and just on the intermediate routes and all those types of things and keeping my arm in shape, I think that's the biggest thing. I feel the same as I always have.” Four of the deep shot have gone to Cooper, who has caught 25 of 42 targets for 483 yards with three touchdowns. “I've said it a million times, he’s an unbelievable player and I think that's as simple of an answer as it can be,” Flacco said, “and it's just the truth. He's really good and he makes it go.”
Win and in or… – The Week 17 playoff clinch scenarios are out and there are five for the Browns. They are 1: Browns win or tie vs. Jets Thursday night, 2: Steelers loss or tie against the Seahawks, 3: Bills loss to the Patriots, 4: Jaguars loss to the Panthers and 5: Houston loss or tie against the Titans plus a Colts loss or tie against the Raiders.
Thornhill returns – Safety Juan Thornhill returned to practice Tuesday after missing the previous three games due to a calf injury. Thornhill was officially listed as limited on the injury report.
Wilson out – Jets quarterback Zach Wilson remains in concussion protocol and has been ruled out Thursday head coach Robert Saleh told New York reporters. Trevor Simeon will start again. Simeon has completed 46 of 88 passes for 393 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions this season.
Injury report – DNP: P Corey Bojorquez (left quad), K Dustin Hopkins (left hamstring), DE Ogbo Okoronkwo (pectoral), LB Anthony Walker (knee), WR Amari Cooper (rest, heel), DE Myles Garrett (rest, shoulder); LIMITED: LG Joel Bitonio (back, knee), LT Geron Christian (shoulder), CB Martin Emerson Jr. (ankle), WR Marquise Goodwin (knee), RB Kareem Hunt (groin), LB Jordan Kunaszyk (calf), TE David Njoku (rest, knee), C Ethan Pocic (stinger), RG Wyatt Teller (ankle), S Juan Thornhill (calf); FULL: QB Joe Flacco (calf), RB Jerome Ford (wrist), C Nick Harris (knee), WR Cedric Tillman (knee), CB Denzel Ward (shoulder)