BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The offensive line is about to become whole again.
Right tackle Jack Conklin announced his return from a knee injury that sidelined him for two games.
“I’m back,” Conklin said Wednesday.
“Bummed to miss two games like that, but happy to be back and healthy and I’m ready to roll.”
Okay, so it wasn’t quite a Michael Jordan press release, but still good news for the Browns, who are on track to get their starting five offensive lineman back together for the first time since the trip to Los Angeles over three weeks ago.
“As you know, it is so important those five playing together and the communication that occurs along that front,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “The guys that who have gone in have really stepped up and done a great job for us, but Jack is an integral part our run attack and our pass attack so it would be great to have him back out there.”
Left tackle Jedrick Wills, who also missed two games to rest a sore left ankle, returned last Thursday in the 17-14 win over the Broncos and played every snap for the first time this season against Denver. He also practiced Monday for the first time since Week 1.
The Browns were able to avoid having to place Wills or Conklin on injured reserve and both players were limited at practice Wednesday.
“It’s tough,” Conklin said. “It sucks being out when you’re out there and you know you’re not going to be a part of it. It’s brutal. I’m happy the guys are able to step in and do a good job with me out. I’m excited to be back.”
A healthier offensive line is good news for a banged-up baker Mayfield, who is preparing as if he will play against the Steelers Sunday despite dealing with a torn labrum and fracture of the humerus bone in his left shoulder.
“That’d be great obviously, but I think you look at the last time we played the Steelers, the last two times, we’ve had makeshift starters and different guys plug and play, so I trust those guys no matter who’s in there,” Mayfield said. “That’s just the way we are. That’s how I’m going to operate. So I’m going to try and do the best I can to get back 100 percent and those guys have to do the same. That’s just what we expect.”
Earned by D’Ernest – Running back D’Ernest Johnson was voted the FedEx Ground Player of the Week after rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Broncos.
“It was great, for his story and for him to come out and play as well as he did, it’s awesome,” Conklin said. “That’s what makes football fun. You can have guys when they get that opportunity come out and shine like that, it’s great. He’s a great guy and you’ve just got to be happy for him.”
Johnson, who averaged 6.6 yards per carry, handled the bulk of the work out of the backfield with both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt injured. Hunt was placed on injured reserve last week with a calf injury while Chubb was held out because of a calf injury.
“Two years ago, three years ago he was fishing on a boat trying to find some money and find some work and now he’s here on the Browns and he had a great game,” Chubb said. “It’s the story where he’s come from. Trust the process, never giving up. Just a lovable guy, too, he’s one of my best friends on the team. It was fun watching him play.”
The run game continues to carry the Browns and now they have a three-headed monster once Hunt returns.
“I really think they are all so different,” Stefanski said of his backs. “D’Ernest, like I said previously – we all saw it in that game – when he has had his opportunities, he has come through. He is a very, very accountable football player.”
This week with Chubb returning, or expected to, Johnson will take Hunt’s role as the No. 2 back.
“Do you think he earned it,” Stefanski joked when asked to confirm Johnson’s role this week.
He believes Johnson and Hunt are two different types of players.
“Just those rushing styles on each of those guys, it is just a little bit different,” Stefanski said. “Kareem is a great, great football player. He is a great slashing football player. He can catch it and can run it. D’Ernest in his own right is very productive. He runs behind his pads and has great forward lean, but just different styles.”
By winning the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week Award, FedEx will make a $2,000 donation in Johnson’s name to a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), which will be applied towards needs-based scholarships to deserving HBCU students.
Landry and OBJ limited – Receivers Jarvis Landry and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. were limited Wednesday.
Beckham is still dealing with the sprained shoulder suffered against the Cardinals on October 17 while Landry, who missed three games on IR due to a sprained MCL, tweaked his knee Thursday against the Broncos.
“It is unrelated to the previous injury,” Stefanski said.
Slippery slope – Stefanski had his team practice outdoors Wednesday on the wet fields despite 16 players dealing with injuries.
“Anytime we have injuries, we are always looking at what we are doing and what we can do better to try to prevent the ones that we can, and some of them you can’t prevent,” Stefanski said. “In terms of being out here, we might have some weather on Sunday. We have to get some work on the grass. It may be slippery today. It might be slippery on Sunday.”
The Browns practiced indoors Monday, but they are limited with just 50 yards of real estate to work with because the weight room takes up 20 yards on the north end of the Casey Coleman Fieldhouse, which is not ideal.
LeCounte disciplined – Safety Richard LeCounte III was held out of practice Wednesday for a violation of team rules.
The team noted LeCounte’s absence for disciplinary reasons on their daily injury report.
Injury report – DNP: DE Jadeveon Clowney (ankle, groin, knee), DT Malik Jackson (ankle), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin), & CB Denzel Ward (hamstring); LIMITED; QB Baker Mayfield (left shoulder), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), RB Nick Chubb (calf), RT Jack Conklin (knee), LB Tony Fields (illness), CB A.J. Green (groin), OL Blake Hance (elbow), LB Malcolm Smith (abdomen), C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle), LB Mack Wilson (calf)
Up next – Practice Thursday.