Browns Injury Report: Dawand Jones questionable, Greg Newsome out vs. Cardinals

And the last injury report of the week…

The Cleveland Browns started the week with a laundry list of injuries, but now enter their Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals in rather good health. The big news is quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was not given an injury designation and has been named the starting quarterback as the Browns return home to take on the 1-7 Cardinals. However, in some not-so-good news, cornerback Greg Newsome was ruled out and offensive tackle Dawand Jones has been listed as questionable.

Newsome will not be the only player to miss, but the only starter that will not suit up. This has become a theme throughout his collegiate and NFL career. His Northwestern colleague Cameron Mitchell will get the reps in the nickel in his absence.

Here is the full injury report of every player who was limited in practice or missed practice on Friday as the Browns get set to take on the Cardinals.

Browns Injury Report: Cleveland starts Cardinals week with laundry list of injuries

The Browns got one key piece back in Deshaun Watson, but they are missing Dawand Jones as they prepare for the Cardinals

The Cleveland Browns are sitting at 4-3 on the season, looking to get back in the win column against the 1-7 Arizona Cardinals. As it sits just four days until gameday, however, the Browns have a lot of injuries to work through. While they got quarterback Deshaun Watson back to practice, they had a long list of players who missed. After exiting the game against the Seattle Seahawks, offensive tackle Dawand Jones has not yet returned to practice and is perhaps the biggest name on the list (no pun intended).

If Jones cannot go, the Browns will be forced to start their third different right tackle on the season in third-year player James Hudson III. It is a great thing to have the offensive line depth the Browns have as Hudson filled in against the Seahawks, grading out well in that game.

Here is the full list of every player who either missed practice on Wednesday or was limited by an injury.

Report: Browns DE Alex Wright questionable to return with knee injury vs. Seahawks

Wright sustained a knee injury in the second half of the Browns’ Week 8 match with the Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns defense end Alex Wright left Week 8 with a knee injury and is reportedly questionable to return against the Seattle Seahawks, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. It’s unclear when the injury occurred in the second half, but Wright’s injury is just one of several for the Browns in Week 8.

Cornerback Greg Newsome was ruled out with a groin injury shortly after halftime. Defensive end Za’Darius Smith limped off, and right tackle Dawand Jones also exited the game and made a trip to the locker room as well.

Wright missed time during the offseason with a knee injury as well, but it’s unknown if it’s a related ailment. He also dealt with a concussion last week. The second-year defensive end had tallied one sack, eight combined tackles and two quarterback hits this season already.

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PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. Colts

It wasn’t the defense’s best performance

Coming off an impressive performance against the San Francisco 49ers the defense of the Cleveland Browns had a bit of a letdown defensively against the Colts. They struggled in zone coverage again like against the Baltimore Ravens, it is clear that the team is much more successful when they play man coverage. But it was far from just a bad day as defensive end Myles Garrett had one of the most impressive games of his career.

It’s the second time this year that he took over a game and put up a defensive player of the year type performance. Two sacks, two forced fumbles one of which was recovered for a touchdown, and a blocked field goal.

The Colts came to play and Shane Steichen called an impressive game for their offense. Let’s take a look at the ten best performances for the Browns on defense according to PFF in the 39-38 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Browns: Second-year DE Alex Wright grows into trustworthy player

The young defensive end has carved out a solid role in Cleveland

When the Cleveland Browns drafted defensive end Alex Wright in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft they did so knowing he was a raw prospect. Gifted with rare physical gifts he needed time to develop and learn more about the position. Due to injuries and poor play by others, he was thrust into playing time as a rookie and it was rough at times. But it was clear from flashes from time to time the ability to be a solid player. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has now found a role for Wright as an early down run stuffer and occasional pass rusher and he has flourished.

Wright is great at setting the edge against running backs preventing them from bouncing outside and limiting explosive plays as a result. He is only playing about 15-20 snaps but having someone like that to rest your other players is critical to the team’s success so far.

He has great strength and uses his long arms to keep blockers from getting their hands on him and moving him around in the run game and pass game. It’s been fun to see his development so far and I believe he will only get better.

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PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. 49ers

It was another great performance from the Browns defense

It has been a historic start to the season for the Cleveland Browns and their defense, who have thrived under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The rebuilt defensive line has been exceptional and elevated both the linebackers and the defensive backs. With the defensive line eating blocks Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been all over the field showing the freak athlete he is game after game. It doesn’t take long when watch this defense to see that they play fast, aggressive, and smart.

They have been smothering in man coverage with Martin Emerson Jr. taking a big step forward in his second season.

It truly has been fun to watch this defense play and they went up against one of the NFL’s most potent offenses this year and held them under 20 points. Let’s take a look at the 10 players that stood out the most against the 49ers according to PFF and how they graded those players.

Second-Year Review: Analyzing the Cleveland Browns’ 2022 NFL draft class

Martin Emerson Jr. headlined the 2022 NFL draft for the Browns. But how is the class as a whole doing just over a year in?

The bye week offers teams a chance for introspection, free from the looming presence of impending opponents. Self-scouting is pivotal to teams as they assess their weaknesses and tendencies, especially during the bye week. The Cleveland Browns desperately needed to do it, especially with injuries to their offensive stars Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson. It’s also a good time for fans and media members to look at the bigger picture. I thought I’d spend this time looking at the Browns’ 2022 NFL draft class, headlined by cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. 

The Browns are becoming a real football team. In years past, we as fans, would be assessing a rookie class where half of the players would be forced into starting roles. The Browns are still performing a baptism by fire with 4th-round rookie Dawand Jones, who is playing fantastic. However, most rookies are sitting on the bench and learning how to be professionals. Successful teams always boast of developing four-year plans for their drafted players.

The Browns are finally establishing themselves as a real organization with a slow and deliberate onboarding of their young players. Only three players in the Browns’ 2022 draft class are playing significant snaps currently.

Let’s take a look at how that draft class is doing one year in at the bye week.

Podcast: Browns dominate the Titans behind an improved Deshaun Watson

It was a great day to be a Browns fan

What a difference a week can make after all the doubt the team got after the Steelers’ loss into Sunday’s domination of the Titans. This was by far Deshaun Watson’s best game as a Cleveland Brown. He didn’t try to be Superman in this game, took what the defense gave him, and had some impressive passes this week.

But the biggest story of the week is the Browns’ defense continuing to dominate the opponents. Through three games the defense has only allowed one touchdown and if not for a turnover deep in their territory the Titans would have been shut out.

Jim Schwartz has gotten all of their players to buy into what he is preaching and it shows on every snap. The team is fast, aggressive, and smart and has them sitting as one of the best defenses in the NFL.

You can watch this week’s podcast by clicking here to hear all of these takes and more after the big win over the Titans.

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PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. Titans

The defense has been fantastic through three games

Jim Schwartz has had his players fired up and having fun to start the season and it is showing on the field. The Cleveland Browns have given Myles Garrett real help for the first time in his career consistently and it is paying off. All of the attention Garrett gets has allowed Schwartz to move people around and create mismatches. They showed up again against the Tennessee Titans.

There were times the Browns put Za’Darius Smith inside right next to Myles Garrett on the outside and that duo next to each other is just unfair. Alex Wright was impressive as his pursuit down the line against the run was great, notching his first career sack as well.

Even without Greg Newsome the secondary shut down the Titans and didn’t give Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill any easy throwing lanes. After a down year, Denzel Ward has been fantastic to start the season as a no-fly zone is being built in Cleveland.

Here are the top 10 graded defensive players according to PFF for the Browns against the Titans.

WATCH: Alex Wright gets his first career sack as Browns defense dominates Titans

The Browns defense is playing out of their mind

The defense of the Cleveland Browns has been downright dominant through three games as they shut down the offense of the Tennessee Titans, allowing only a field goal in the Week 3 win. Defensive end Alex Wright has played one of the best games of his career as he got his first career sack this week.

Myles Garrett has had a great game and in turn, the domino effect as Wright and others have gotten less attention while the Titans try to shut down Garrett. This defense right now is playing like the best defense in football through the first three games, they are at least in the discussion.

Jim Schwartz deserves an award for the turnaround they have made on defense as he has made the most out of the talent that Andrew Berry has assembled. Next week the Browns will easily face the best offense they have all year but with the way they are playing there is no reason to think they can’t show up again.

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