Cowboys Game: Will Browns' Injured Players Return?

Get the latest updates on the Cleveland Browns' injured players and their potential return for the Cowboys game. Stay tuned to the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show for all your NFL news!

The Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings completed their short-term arranged marriage Saturday with a preseason game for backups and bottom of the roster players. The Vikings won, 27-12.

The teams held competitive joint practice sessions at the Browns’ training facility Wednesday and Thursday, and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski considers those the two most important days of training camp for competitive evaluation. So, some real work was done in the week that just ended. A bunch of real work still must be done, and the Browns likely are going to have to do some searching of their various free-agent and trade-target lists to find help at offensive tackle. Let’s check the temperature and some pressing Browns news items …

Total emergency?
The Browns already had a major offensive tackle issue, which was evident in the way the Vikings’ pass rush dominated stretches of the joint practices. Now, the Browns might have a full-blown crisis at the position.

No listed or expected starters played in Saturday’s game, but all three offensive tackles who took reps with the first and second offensive line groups suffered injuries. James Hudson, the No. 1 left tackle throughout training camp because of the pre-existing shortage, left late in the first half with an ankle injury. Then, both of the team’s offseason veteran insurance additions appeared to get hurt during a 91-yard interception return by Vikings rookie Dwight McGlothern.

The team announced that Germain Ifedi had a hand injury and Hakeem Adeniji had a knee injury. Both were taken to the locker room within minutes, and Adeniji was announced as out for the remainder of the game. Hudson was in a protective boot after the game, Adeniji was on crutches, and Stefanski said both would need MRIs on Sunday morning.

The Browns’ longtime left tackle, Jedrick Wills Jr., remains on the physically unable to perform list. Wills had what the team called arthroscopic knee surgery last December but is yet to return to practice. Longtime right tackle Jack Conklin is recovering from a torn ACL and also remains on the PUP list. Dawand Jones, who replaced Conklin in the starting lineup when Jones was a rookie last season, has been playing right tackle.

Asked if he expected Wills back to practice soon, Stefanski said, “We’ll see.” He’s not obligated to share any more information than that during the preseason, but the lack of any real answer on Wills’ status as the Browns head to the end of training camp is concerning.

Hudson has been taking the No. 1 snaps at left tackle in practice. Hudson started Saturday’s game at right tackle and Ifedi started on the left. Ifedi has been taking some No. 1 snaps in practice. The Browns were already so deep into their contingency plans that Ifedi went from playing guard in the spring to moving to left tackle. The Browns added Adeniji early in free agency and then added Ifedi in April around the start of their offseason program, both on one-year deals with no guarantees.

The Browns finished Saturday’s game with undrafted rookie Lorenzo Thompson at left tackle and Roy Mbaeteka on the right. Mbaeteka is the team’s international pathway player and 91st player on the 90-man offseason roster.

Last Sunday, an emergency on the interior of the offensive line forced the Browns to make a trade and re-acquire backup center Nick Harris from Seattle. Depending on the severity of the new injuries and Wills’ potential availability, the Browns might have to add multiple offensive tackles before they return to practice Tuesday. Veteran backup guard Michael Dunn has mostly played left guard with the Browns, but he has at least some experience at all five spots from his college career and his prior experience on the Browns’ practice squad.

‘Tis the season for roster scrambling and patching, though obviously the Browns would prefer not to have an emergency situation at any position — especially given the number of injuries they’ve had across their defense in recent weeks. Teams must trim their rosters to the regular-season size of 53 by Tuesday, Aug. 27. The Browns practice three times ahead of next Saturday’s preseason finale in Seattle.

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