Cleveland Browns could be set to face an injury depleted New York Jets

The Cleveland Browns were preparing to face a rebooted New York Jets team on Monday night, but injuries could create problems for the Jets.

The Cleveland Browns traveling to New York to play the Jets on Monday Night Football was expected to be an intriguing early season game because of both teams revamping their rosters during the offseason.

But after both teams suffered losses in their season openers, the game has lost some of its luster compared to the offseason expectations. The Jets could also be without some of the top playmakers that made them an intriguing team in 2019, making the game less intriguing.

New York is dealing with a bevy of injuries, including quarterback Sam Darnold, who is already announced to be out for Monday night’s game against the Browns.

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With Darnold out, the Jets will be rolling out Trevor Siemian, who signed with the Jets over the offseason. Siemian has experience as a starter, compiling a 13-11 record in two seasons as a starter for the Denver Broncos.

Siemian is far from a household name, but has proven to be a game manager during his career. He has completed 59.3 percent of his passes in his career, throwing for 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. But with the injuries stacking up on the offensive side of the ball, the Jets may be forced to rely on Siemian’s arm.

Without Darnold, the expectation would be running back Le’Veon Bell would shoulder the load for the Jets offense. However, Bell is also dealing with an injury, causing him to miss practice on Thursday and take a deeper look at what is happening with his shoulder.

Bell was New York’s best playmaker Week 1, rushing for 60 yards on 17 carries, while also catching six receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown. But being a focal point of the offense and getting 23 touches left Bell vulnerable to injury, and that may have happened with his shoulder. If Bell misses Monday night, New York would likely split time between Ty Montgomery and Bilal Powell.

Two of New York’s best defensive players, C.J. Mosely and Leonard Williams, are also missing practice Thursday. With an extra day of rest before they play the Browns, Mosely and Williams have time to recover. But if they are unable to get on the field for practice and miss Monday’s game, the defense could also be shorthanded.

Even if the Jets will be without only one or two of the players listed on their injury report, it could create problems against the Browns. Without extended time with the first-team, a backup could put themselves in the wrong position to make plays, creating openings for the Browns.

Cleveland enters Monday night needing a victory after their season opening loss. With the Los Angeles Rams on deck for Cleveland, they need a victory against the Jets to prevent the potential of going 0-3 to start the regular season.

The Browns could be setup well if the Jets are forced to take the field without some of their top players. But even if injuries keep several starters out for the Jets, the Browns are going to need to show a lot of improvement from Week 1 if they want to return to Cleveland with a win.