The Cleveland Browns’ final injury report for Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers came with good and bad news.
Let’s start with the good: Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., who’s been out since the first Steelers game back in Week 4 with a sprained ankle, will not carry a designation into the weekend, meaning he’s been cleared to return.
As for the bad news, starting right tackle Tytus Howard missed his third consecutive practice and hasn’t yet cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, which does not bode well for his chances of playing on Sunday.
Head coach Todd Monken did not rule Howard out on Friday, however. He revealed that Howard is officially questionable this week along with defensive back Myles Harden and safety Daniel Thomas.
Other than those three players, the Browns are about as healthy as a team could hope to be approaching the midpoint of the regular season.
Dillon Gabriel’s role still a mystery; Shedeur Sanders remains QB2
One of the Browns’ biggest storylines this week was Dillon Gabriel returning to the active roster following a lengthy stint on injured reserve. To make room, the Browns waived seventh-round rookie tight end Carsen Ryan, though they were able to sign him back to the practice squad after he cleared waivers.
Monken confirmed to reporters Friday that Sanders remains the team’s top backup quarterback to starter Deshaun Watson. He said he hasn’t yet decided on whether Gabriel will be active for Sunday’s game or designated as the emergency third quarterback.
Rookie Taylen Green has been Cleveland’s emergency QB3 in each of its first seven games to start the season.
“Plans for Dillon Gabriel? I don’t even know yet,” Monken said, looking around at the podium almost as if asking for help. “I mean, I’m not even that far ahead yet. Shedeur’s our backup quarterback. … I know we have four of them. We can choose one of the four to be the [emergency QB3]. I know who the first two are.”
Hall’s return should give the Browns’ defensive line a massive boost
The Browns haven’t had their top three interior defensive linemen — Mason Graham, Maliek Collins, and Mike Hall Jr. — available for a full game since September. Hall’s return on Sunday could be a factor, as he’s shown the versatility to also line up on the edge.
Hall earned Monken’s respect in Week 4 when he returned to the game on a sprained ankle and recorded a huge second-half sack on Aaron Rodgers. The Browns will need their defensive front in this game, as stopping the Steelers’ run game and forcing Rodgers to trust his receivers against Cleveland’s elite secondary will be a key to victory.
“What I remember most is him coming back from being knocked out, and then coming back, wanting to be with his teammates and finishing the game,” Monken said. “It says a lot that he came back to play when you consider he’s been out since then. It says a lot more about him and how he’s wired.”
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