BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II will not play Sunday at Minnesota head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday.
Newsome suffered a calf injury in the second half of the Browns 26-6 win over the Bears.
“He is week to week,” Stefanski said before practice Wednesday afternoon. “He will not go on IR.”
Greedy Williams, who has had limited defensive reps to date but replaced Newsome this past Sunday, will take Newsome’s place in the starting lineup.
“He has had limited reps in the games but seeing him a lot in practice, and I think he has done a nice job,” Stefanski said. “Going all the way back to when he first got back out there, worked through it and got his wind back, I think you just see a guy who is continuing to get better.”
Williams, who lost the camp battle for a starting job to the No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft due in part to a groin injury, missed the entire 2020 season due to a shoulder injury that included nerve damage suffered during training camp.
Batman and Tas? – If Nick Chubb is Batman, who is Kareem Hunt?
Wednesday morning, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield provided the answer. Hint: not Robin.
“[Hunt] Runs like the Tasmanian Devil,” Mayfield said. “It’s like his upper body is leaning one way, his lower body … his balance, I mean, is outstanding. It’s something that very few people are blessed with. And like I said after the game, we’re lucky and blessed to have those two guys in our backfield.”
Hunt jump started the Browns offense in Sunday’s 26-6 win over the Bears that saw him rack up 155 combined yards from scrimmage, including a 29-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that all but sealed the victory.
Mayfield’s assessment didn’t draw an argument from Chubb.
“Yeah, I agree. I mean, Kareem, he runs like a wild man, like he doesn’t care about his body at all,” Chubb said. “He’s just runs it up, sticks it up, in there, takes hits, bounces off of hits. He’s just a special player.”
Richardson reunion – Stefanski’s return to Minnesota this weekend won’t be the only reunion taking place at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson will be loaded for bear against his former team after the Browns cut him in the offseason as part of a salary cap move.
Mayfield is sort of looking forward to seeing Richardson.
“As long as he doesn't wear that single digit like he did in the preseason, I thought it made him look a little softer in the midsection,” Mayfield joked. “I love Sheldon, he's a good dude, he'll be chirping, that's for sure.”
Even Stefanski is expecting to hear for Richardson.
“I would expect so,” Stefanski said.
Best option – Jedrick Wills Jr. on a bum ankle is apparently better than anyone else the Browns could throw out there.
Wills did not practice Wednesday so he could rest and receive treatment.
“I am comfortable with what we are doing,” Stefanski said. “The kid is working really, really hard. He is staying into it. Even if he is not practicing today, he is staying into it. He is dealing with an injury, which is really the nature of the National Football League, often times for a bunch of different players.
I think he is doing a nice job.”
Wills, who suffered the injury in the second quarter at Kansas City, made it into the third quarter against Houston before being replaced by Blake Hance. This past week he managed to play 70 of 81 snaps against the Bears.
“Jed is a tough guy. He is a warrior,” Mayfield said. “At this point of the year, the best you feel is when you show up for training camp. After that, your body is hurting a little bit so he is fighting through whatever it is, and he is doing whatever he can to get back at 100 percent each week and to get as close to that as possible. We appreciate that about him.”
Bring earplugs – If the Browns thought Arrowhead Stadium was loud for the season opener, Stefanski has news for them: Sunday is going to be louder.
The Metrodome had the reputation for being among the loudest venues in the league for opposing teams to deal with, a tradition that has carried over to the Vikings’ new home, which according to Stefanski is even louder.
“They are both really loud,” Stefanski said. “We talked about it already this morning with the team. [US Bank Stadium] is a glass building, and the noise reverberates in there. It will be the loudest, likely the loudest place, that we play this year.”
To prepare, the noise was dialed up on Wednesday to some of the highest levels it’s been during practice.
COVID move – Cornerback Tim Harris was placed on practice squad/COVID list Wednesday.
Injury report – DNP: CB Greg Newsome II (calf-OUT), C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle); LIMITED: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), RT Jack Conklin (knee), OT Chris Hubbard (triceps), LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring)
Up next – Practice Thursday.
