Tag: khadarel hodge

5 Takeaways from the Browns Week 12 win over the Jaguars

On Baker Mayfield, the return game, the pass rush and more

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It’s Victory Monday for Browns fans everywhere, and that is a cause for celebration. In beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-25, the Browns elevated themselves to 8-3 and the top of the AFC Wild Card race after Week 12.

Yet the way the team played on Sunday in eking past a 1-10 team starting its third-string quarterback and without several regular defensive starters, it’s hard to feel celebratory about Cleveland. In that spirit, I rewatched the broadcast feed of the game on Monday morning to make sure my snap judgments on Sunday held up.

Here’s what I took away from the Browns’ win over the Jaguars.

Browns snap count notes from Week 10: Stefanski shortens the bench

Browns snap count notes from Week 10: Stefanski shortens the bench

When basketball games are close from the opening tip to the final buzzer, coaches tend to shorten the bench. Fewer players get into the game and the top talents dominate the playing time.

That’s exactly what Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did in his team’s Week 10 win over the Houston Texans. In a game where weather conditions largely negated the passing game, the snap counts for both teams were abbreviated.

Cleveland ran 65 offensive plays to Houston’s 57. The Browns had just 16 players take an offensive snap, a season-low. The biggest impact came at wide receiver.

Three wideouts all played exactly 38 snaps: Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and Jarvis Landry. Donovan Peoples-Jones was on the field for 16. Having no single WR play more than 58 percent of the snaps is a testament to the weather and game conditions.

The tight end breakdown continues to establish the status quo: Austin Hooper (55 snaps) is the top dog, followed by rookie Harrison Bryant (36) and then David Njoku (23).

Nick Chubb returned to the lineup and played 28 reps. That’s 10 less than Kareem Hunt, who also missed a few snaps after taking a hard shot in the second half. No other RB was on the field other than for special teams.

On defense, 18 Browns saw action. That’s also a season-low. Four players played all 57 snaps: CBs Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell, LB B.J. Goodson and S Ronnie Harrison.

Myles Garrett continues to play over 80 percent of available reps. The superstar DE logged 46 snaps. Safety Andrew Sendejo was next at 45, his lowest total and percentage of the year. Olivier Vernon also played 45 as the DE opposite Garrett.

Safety Karl Joseph did not play on defense. His regular reps were divided up between safety Sheldrick Redwine (17 snaps) and more usage of the No. 3 LB spot, which rotated between Malcolm Smith (27) and Sione Takitaki (17).

The Texans’ base three-WR offense led to former Houston first-round pick Kevin Johnson playing more than usual as the slot corner. Johnson played 39 reps, more than any linebacker got in the game.

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Browns activate WR KhaDarel Hodge from injured reserve

Hodge missed the last four games with a hamstring injury

The Cleveland Browns officially activated wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge from injured reserve on Saturday. Hodge joins the active roster and is eligible to play in Sunday’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.

Hodge missed the last four games after going on I.R. with a hamstring injury following Week 3. He caught three passes for 51 yards in the first three weeks. Hodge is known for his blocking and has been one of the Browns’ best special teams players over the last year. No. 12 returned to practices this week and showed enough to merit activation.

The Browns had an open spot on the active roster after [lawrence-related id=54368] on injured reserve earlier this week. Cleveland did not sign anyone to Beckham’s spot.

Browns designate WR KhaDarel Hodge for return from injured reserve

The Browns have 21 days to activate Hodge but likely won’t wait long

Two days after Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski declared it as a distinct possibility, the team made it official. Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge has been designated to return from the injured reserve list.

Hodge has been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He is now eligible to begin practicing with the Browns and test the recovery. The Browns have 21 days to decide to activate Hodge, though indications are the team hopes he will be able to fill Odell Beckham Jr.’s spot on the active roster for Week 8.

He’s been one of the NFL’s better special teams players, and he’s also proven to be a very good blocker at wide receiver. Hodge caught three passes for 51 yards in the first two games before being injured in Week 3.

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Stefanski: WR KhaDarel Hodge ready to resume practicing with Browns

Hodge has been on I.R. with a hamstring injury

Reinforcements should be on the way soon for the Cleveland Browns receiving corps. Wideout KhaDarel Hodge is set to begin practicing with the team this week and could be activated from injured reserve in time to play in the Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Hodge is ready to come back to practice after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury that led the team to place him on I.R. Stefanski seemed hopeful in his press conference Monday that Hodge, known for his blocking and special teams prowess, will be activated soon.

The Browns have a need with Odell Beckham Jr. going on I.R. after tearing his left ACL in Sunday’s win over the Bengals. Cleveland has a bye in Week 9 after hosting the Raiders on Sunday.

Possible options for the Browns to replace Odell Beckham Jr.

Browns place WR KhaDarel Hodge on I.R.

Hodge was injured during pre-game warmups in Dallas on Sunday

KhaDarel Hodge was active for Sunday’s game in Dallas but the hard-nosed wide receiver did not play. Hodge injured his hamstring during the pre-game warmups and wound up missing the win over the Cowboys.

The hamstring injury was bad enough that it forced Hodge, the team’s No. 3 wideout and a special teams stalwart, onto injured reserve on Tuesday. Going on I.R. means Hodge will miss at least the next three games.

He is the second Browns offensive player added to the injured reserve this week, joining RB Nick Chubb. Chubb is expected to at least six weeks with a sprained MCL in his right knee.

Rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones took over Hodge’s role in the offense in the win over the Cowboys and handled his NFL debut fairly well.

Browns WR coach Chad O’Shea: ‘Competition is still open’ for 3rd WR job

Browns WR coach Chad O’Shea: ‘Competition is still open’ for 3rd WR job

The first two spots on the depth chart at wide receiver are not subject to debate. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are firmly entrenched as the Cleveland Browns starters. After that?

Two weeks of training camp practices have yet to sort out who will be No. 3, or beyond that for that matter. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea made that clear in his Zoom conference with reporters prior to Saturday’s practice.

“The competition is still open,’’ he said. “It’s a very competitive situation on our roster. Nothing is set in stone and we have a lot of guys vying for it.’’

Many expected veteran Rashard Higgins to seize the role, but “Hollywood” has not starred enough to beat out the other players auditioning. KhaDarel Hodge’s return to practice after missing several days to attend to a personal matter only makes the competition more crowded. O’Shea had nothing but positive things to say about Hodge upon his return.

“I’m extremely impressed with him and I have a great deal of respect for how he plays,’’ O’Shea said. “He studies hard, he knows what to do and he’s very good mentally. He can function in multiple roles, and it’s important to add value to the team in several different ways.”

Hodge primarily thrived on special teams in 2019, his first year in Cleveland. But he made plays as a receiver in the first week of camp, and the versatility O’Shea cited only adds value. Higgins is more one-dimensional, though he produced well and showed great chemistry with Baker Mayfield during the quarterback’s rookie season in 2018.

Rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones has also interjected himself into the mix. Peoples-Jones hasn’t been flawless but continues to make big plays when given chances.

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Pharaoh Brown among 3 Browns tendered as exclusive rights free agents

Pharaoh Brown, Dontrell Hilliard and KhaDarel Hodge all tendered as ERFAs

The Cleveland Browns have issued qualifying tender offers to three of their exclusive rights free agents. In what’s more of a paperwork formality, the team locked up the trio for 2020. The Browns announced the move in conjunction with issuing a second-round tender offer to restricted free agent RB Kareem Hunt.

Tight end Pharaoh Brown, running back Dontrell Hilliard and wide receiver/special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge were all issued their tender offers prior to the deadline.

Brown caught just two passes in nine games but demonstrated some promise for a larger role. He’s a Cleveland native.

Hilliard and Hodge made their primary contributions on special teams in 2019. They figure to remain fixtures on those units more than they contribute to the base offense.

An Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) is a player that has less than three accrued seasons in the NFL but an expired contract. They do not have the ability to negotiate deals with other teams.

Watch: Baker fakes a Steeler out of his shoes, drills a strike to KhaDarel Hodge

The great pump fake and 41-yard pass set up the Browns second TD

Baker Mayfield sure looks like he’s feeling dangerous in the first half of the Thursday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns QB was definitely dangerous for a Pittsburgh pass rusher in the second quarter.

Mayfield gave a pump fake that juked Steelers OLB Jayrone Elliott out of his shoes. Watch Elliott leap and fly past the play, allowing Mayfield to set up and unleash a strike down the field to KhaDarel Hodge.

The play went for 41 yards and helped set up the Browns’ second TD of the night, with Mayfield finding a wide open Jarvis Landry in the left side of the striped end zone to push the Browns up 14-0.