CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had some good news on the injury front regarding the opener against the Bengals on Sept. 7.
He said he expects Kenny Pickett to be recovered enough from his hamstring injury to be available for backup duty behind Joe Flacco. Possibly also center Ethan Pocic and Blake Whiteheart, who suffered knee injuries during the 19-17 victory over the Rams.
As for his Week 1, Stefanski isn’t yet ready to name him, because he wants to see how Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel handle the practice week.
The Browns have three full days of practice this week, Tuesday through Thursday, before they enjoy the long NFL weekend off. They’ll be back in the building on Labor Day to begin their game week preparation for Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
In trying to determine which of the two quarterbacks to install as the backup, Stefanski will have plenty to consider, including health and experience. Since suffering the hamstring injury on July 26, the fourth day of training camp, Pickett has only worked once in team drills, on Tuesday. He missed 10 straight camp days of team drills, which included the heart of the installation of the offense, and most of the padded practices.
Included were the joint practices against the Panthers and the Eagles, his former team from last year.
The injury — Pickett’s first hamstring issue — was unfortunate for him and the Browns, because he was firmly in the mix to start on opening day and had an excellent chance of winning the job. He would’ve had to outplay Flacco in camp, but he brings so much mobility and good game management, he had a bona fide shot. He was also a two-year starter for the Steelers, and understands the intensity of the AFC North.
Now, he’ll have to be content with back duty for the time being, but he can also climb back into the starting conversation with an excellent performance in practice. The Browns would like to utilize more of their playbook, and both Pickett and Gabriel give them a chance to do that with their legs.
As for Gabriel, he demonstrated during the first two preseason games that the moment isn’t too big for him, and that he has the poise and command of the scheme to run the offense effectively. If the Browns determine it would be more prudent to name Gabriel the backup while Pickett gets back into the flow, he appears to be ready to handle the job.
In a perfect world, though, Pickett will get the nod and pick up where he left off when he injured the hamstring.
Ethan Pocic and Blake Whiteheart might be ready too
Stefanski said starting center Ethan Pocic and Blake Whiteheart, who both suffered knee injuries during the game, will both potentially be available for the opener.
That’s great news for the Browns, because Pocic has played at almost a Pro Bowl level the past few years, and his absence would hurt. However, his replacement Luke Wypler, the Browns’ sixth-round pick in 2023 out of Ohio State who sat out all last year with an ankle injury, has had a nice camp and would be ready to step on.
Pocic walked out of the locker room in a full knee brace after getting rolled up on midway through the first quarter and was due to undergo further testing on Sunday.
Whiteheart also suffered a knee injury during the game, but might be good to go in two weeks. That would be good for the Browns, because they’ll will run a lot of two tight end sets and sometimes three. Whiteheart is set to make the 53-man roster as the third tight end behind David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr.
He’ll also play some special teams.
Defensive end Julian Okwara suffered a rib injury during the game, and Stefanski said he’ll have more information on him over the next couple of days but “he has had a nice camp.”
Browns release Tony Brown II
The Browns have already begun the process of paring their roster in anticipation of Tuesday’s roster cutdown to 53 by 5 p.m. On Sunday, they released cornerback, who played in six games for them last season, recording one forced fumble and five combined tackles. He was re-signed on March 20.
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