Browns get Carson Schwesinger back but Quinshon Judkins absence creates a new problem

After opening the week with 17 players listed on their initial practice report, the Cleveland Browns got some hope on Friday.

Four key players — Mason Graham, Derek Barnett, Quinshon Judkins, and Carson Schwesinger — were able to return to practice in a limited capacity after missing the first two sessions of the week.

The Browns have announced their Week 6 inactives, and they will only have two of those four on the field for their pivotal game against the Ravens for first place in the AFC North.

According to the team's internal reporter Kelsey Russo, Judkins (ankle) and Graham (knee) were both ruled out for Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff at Huntington Bank Field.

The good news? The Browns will have the most important piece of their defense in Schwesinger available to combat Baltimore's tough rushing attack. The bad news is that the offense's struggles with its own run game is about to face its most difficult test yet.

Browns get Carson Schwesinger back but lose Quinshon Judkins for Week 6

With Maliek Collins patrolling the middle of the defensive line and the emergence of Adin Huntington, the Browns should be able to navigate the loss of Graham and also Mike Hall Jr., who was ruled out with an ankle injury earlier in the week.

It would be next to impossible for the team to replace Schwesinger against Derrick Henry and company.

The Browns had to make an interesting decision on their star linebacker. He’s played 100 percent of the defensive snaps this year, but spent most of this past week in a walking boot due to an ankle injury. He’s played through worse, but Cleveland can’t afford to lose Schwesinger for an extended period of time. He’s the most indispensable part of Cleveland’s defense.

The fact that he's going in this show's the importance of this week.

Running backs are much more disposable, but Judkins missing this game stands as a major cause for concern. He hasn’t been very efficient on his first 73 carries of the season, but it’s definitely not all on him. Cleveland’s lack of a true blocking tight end has impacted the operation on the edge, as has Todd Monken’s overreliance on the shotgun over the last three weeks.

Dylan Sampson practiced this week but wasn’t activated from injured reserve with the knee injury he suffered on special teams in the season opener. That means the Browns will be down to Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime — who just arrived in Cleveland this week — against one of the more formidable defenses in football.

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