As the Cleveland Browns (1-6) prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) for the first time this season, Jameis Winston will be starting at quarterback. Deshaun Watson underwent surgery for his Achilles injury, ending his season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will back up Winston after recovering from a finger injury.
The Browns will also be missing several key players for this matchup. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., running back Jerome Ford, safety Ronnie Hickman, and linebacker Jordan Hicks have all been ruled out. Right guard Wyatt Teller is listed as questionable; he has been on injured reserve for the past four games due to a knee injury but could return for Week 8.
Wills has missed three consecutive practices due to his knee issue, which limited him to only eight games last season after healing from a similar injury. With James Hudson out for the season, the Browns might give Dawand Jones his first snaps at left tackle, especially with Jack Conklin healthy.
On a positive note, Ford returned to practice on Friday after dealing with a hamstring injury, which kept him out for the last few games. While he won’t be active this week, his return sets him up for next week, complementing Nick Chubb and creating a solid backfield duo.
Neither Hicks nor Hickman practiced throughout the week, so their absence against Baltimore was expected. Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate will step in for Hicks, as he did against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fortunately, the Browns still have their top three safeties—Grant Delpit, Juan Thornhill, and Rodney McLeod—minimizing the impact of Hickman’s absence.
