Cleveland Browns: Haden, Whitner likely out for Bengals game

Nov 1, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jaron Brown (13) carries the ball as Cleveland Browns strong safety Donte Whitner (31) and cornerback Tramon Williams (22) defend during the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Cardinals won 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The situation may be about to go from bad to worse for the Cleveland Browns as they take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a primetime game on Thursday.

While the Browns did not practice on Monday, the club still released an injury report and it shows that cornerback Joe Haden, safety Donte Whitner and wide receiver Brian Hartline as all being out with concussions.

They join wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, who missed the game against the Arizona Cardinals, as Cleveland players dealing with concussions.

“Josh is sore.” – Head coach Mike Pettine on Josh McCown

And that is not even counting quarterback Josh McCown, who is day-to-day with injuries to his shoulder and ribs, among other areas, after taking a pounding at the hands of the Arizona defense.

Related: Questionable decisions peak in Browns loss

“It is a huge challenge. I have a feeling a lot of people outside of this building aren’t going to give (us) much of a chance,” head coach Mike Pettine said of facing an undefeated Bengals team shorthanded. “To me, that is the beauty of sports. We get to go down there and play. Just like last year, similar circumstances and we went down there and played one of our best games.

“We know that when our minds are right and we are doing what we are supposed to be doing and playing at a high level emotionally and physically that we can play with anybody. We have to go down there with that mentality.”

While the Browns won’t really miss Hartline, who outside of two touchdown receptions on Sunday has done little this season, but missing two starters in their secondary is not going to help matters, especially facing Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. Green. In eight career games against the Browns, Green has 35 receptions for 474 yards and four touchdowns, numbers that could spike come Thursday night against a depleted Cleveland secondary.

Related: The curious case of Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine

“I would say it’s definitely tough when our secondary can’t get that gel, that continuity that we had last year,” safety Tashaun Gipson, who returned on Sunday after missing three games, said on Monday. “I’m not comparing last year to this year by no means, but last year, for the greater part of the season up until my injury and Joe missed some games on the back end last year, we played together 11 straight games. This year, I can’t think of many games that – I had my stretch where I missed my three games, Joe missed three games throughout the season and now Donte Whitner is down and Joe is down again.

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Just a revolving door of injuries that keep hitting the secondary, which was supposed to be the strength of the team, as well as the defense. We’ve been hit with this injury bug and it’s unfortunate because like I said, we have great players back there. It’s unfortunate, but we can’t hang out hats and say, ‘Two of our better guys on defense are down.’

“I don’t think that matters because that’s not going to stop Andy Dalton from throwing for 350 (yards) if we allow him, so we just have to go out there and let us play football.”

As for McCown, as tough as he is and as much as he wants to be out there, it seems pretty unlikely that he will take the field, meaning it could be time for Johnny Manziel to get his revenge on the Bengals.

“Josh is sore. It is difficult this week, just given that it is a short week,” Pettine said. “We will know a lot more when we get into tomorrow and into Wednesday.

“Everything that we’re doing this week is essentially a walkthrough/jog-through. Other than the guys that are in the concussion protocol, we’ll expect all our guys to be out at practice. We’ll know more tonight and more heading into tomorrow.”