Bombshell revelation TE David Njoku reveals shocking secret about secret trade the browns are planning to exchange Deshaun watson to the …… full details below
Bombshell revelation TE David Njoku reveals shocking secret about secret trade the browns are planning to exchange Deshaun watson to the …… full details below
if he’ll face the Eagles; status of Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and others: Browns takeaways
Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Commanders, October 6, 2024
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson tries to dish the ball off to Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku against the Washington Commanders in the first half of play at Northwest Stadium. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
BEREA, Ohio — Tight end David Njoku returned to practice Thursday on a limited basis from his ankle and knee injuries, and told cleveland.com he’ll face the Eagles on Sunday in Philadelphia.
That’s good news for the Browns as they try to snap their three-game losing streak and jump start the No. 32 offense in the NFL.
During Sunday’s 34-13 loss to the Commanders, Njoku played 26 snaps for 42% after sitting out the three previous weeks with a high ankle sprain. But he suffered a knee injury during the game, and underwent an MRI on Monday.
Njoku said Thursday that his knee is not a concern and that his ankle feels better.
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Asked what he must do to support Deshaun Watson he said “be myself and work hard.”
As for all of the calls for Watson’s benching, he said, “I don’t listen to that all of that stuff.”
He said he’s confident Watson can still play winning ball because “he has before. It’s another week that we have to work hard to attain our goals.”
He noted that everyone has to do his part, and that he’s excited to help get the Browns a much-needed victory.
Browns Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman idle
The Browns night be painfully thin in the secondary heading into Philadelphia.
For the second straight day, cornerback Denzel Ward (hamstring), safety Grant Delpit (concussion) and safety Ronnie Hickman (ankle) sat out practice. With starting safety Juan Thornhill (calf) still on injured reserve, the Browns could be challenged in the back end, especially with starting receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith back for the Eagles.
All three defensive backs left the Commanders game with injuries, and all are in jeopardy of missing this week.
“That affected the game last week because we’re a dime team on a lot of third downs and we lost Ronnie Hickman and Rodney McLeod,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “Rodney had to go in and get stitches and all of a sudden, we were out of those packages and then our corners started dropping. We were working hard the whole game to try to just sort of jerry-rig some of our personnel packages, and some of the guys went in. Rodney was able to come back. Rodney played really good game. So, I mean, it’s life in the NFL, nobody cares. So we’ve got to find a way this week, regardless of who’s out there, to be efficient and accentuate those things we did well for 58 plays and eliminate half of those things that we did poorly.”
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will be a handful
The Eagles lost 33-16 to the Bucs in their previous game without two of their three starting receivers, but will try to exploit injuries in the Browns secondary with Brown and Smith back.
“Both of those guys are really good players,” Schwartz said. “I mean guys that they traded for, gave up first round draft picks or drafted pretty early. Different style players. A.J. Brown is a guy that can take a hitch-and-go 80 yards because he’s so strong. He’s really strong down the field on his deep balls. He can body players. He doesn’t get knocked off his routes very easily.
“And DeVonta Smith has really great speed. He’s a smaller player, but he’s got great quickness and great speed. And I’d probably put (tight end) Dallas Goedert in there. Goedert in the last couple games, we’re seeing all the double teams. Shows you where they were with wide receivers. But we have confidence in our guys who, regardless of who is out there, but they do have a great challenge this week.”
Center Ethan Pocic still DNP
As the Browns gear up for the Eagles’ two premier defensive tackles, they could be without center Ethan Pocic, who suffered a knee injury in Washington and sat out practice the past two days. If he’s out, Nick Harris will replace him. The Browns might also have to replace right guard Zak Zinter, who’s been limited this week with a knee injury. Michael Dunn is a candidate to step in.
Left tackle Jed Wills Jr., who started the Commanders game and grade out at the third-highest Browns offensive player, was limited on Thursday with his knee injury, as was right tackle Jack Conklin. But if Conklin can play, it will give the Browns a lift.
Saquon Barkley tearing it up
The Browns will have their hands full with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who’s second in the NFL with 108.8. yards per game, second only to Baltimore’s Derrick Henry (114.4). Barkley lead the Eagles’ 5th-best rushing attack, which is posting 153.8 yards per game. He also leads the Eagles with five TDs, four rushing and one receiving, becoming the first player in franchise history to rush for 425-plus yards and 4-plus TDs during the first four games of the season.
Barkley also has 110-plus scrimmage yards in every game this year.
“Saquon might be playing the best of any running back in the NFL right now,” Schwartz said. “Extremely strong, great vision, jump cut, using the passing game, everything else. And they’ve had some injuries with their wide receivers, so he’s really had to take a load. He’s been a marked man in their offense and he’s still averaging six yards a carry. So he definitely has our intention. They do add the layer of the quarterback, but they’re not afraid just to hand it to him. It’s not super fancy, it’s double teams and let him pick his hole.”
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