Latest Browns injury report for Week 7 versus Bengals reveals lopsided health

The Cleveland Browns have been getting great injury news for its offensive line over the last two weeks. Last week, T Jack Conklin was able to get back into action and looked solid despite the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, the team saw a major injury take place with C Nick Harris go down with a fractured leg.

That makes news of C Ethan Pocic's return to practice so big. According to multiple Browns beat reporters, Pocic was participating in Thursday's team practice ahead of Week 7 after missing practice on Wednesday. Harris was playing in relief of Pocic, and then G Michael Dunn had to slide in at center with Harris going down early in the Week 6 contest. Dunn drew a huge penalty on a big drive from Cleveland during the game, but otherwise did the best he could to get off clean snaps.

The Browns are still dealing with some injury woes, though. RB Jerome Ford went down with a hamstring injury during Week 6, which stings the running back room a bit with Nick Chubb set to return but with potentially limited work. In addition to Ford, S Ronnie Hickman was also held out of practice on Thursday with an ankle injury. Cleveland's secondary could use a big game, as DC Jim Schwartz is challening the group to "play better" this week.

"I've said we've got the best group of corners in the NFL. We haven't played like that," Schwartz told reporters ahead of practice.

Bengals injury report concerning for Browns

If the Browns were hoping to see an injury report from the Bengals as extensive as theirs ahead of Week 7, those hopes were dashed on Wednesday. Cincinnati lists just QB Joe Burrow, DJ Turner II, D.J. Ivey, and Kris Jenkins. That is just four players compared to Cleveland's 15 players listed with an injury. While most of those Browns players will still suit up for Sunday's divisional contest, it does not bode well for Cleveland that they will be squaring off with a much healthier Cincinnati team.

This game will be a true battle of offensive line versus defensive line, with the Browns holding some of the worst pass protection in the league and with the Bengals holding a 42 percent pass rush win rate through six weeks of action. That is good for 18th overall in the league. Flipping that, the Browns have the third best pass rush win rate in the league, and it will be up against the 15th best pass blocking offensive line in the league.

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