Cleveland Browns injuries are causing concern on players' availability for the NFL opener
Monday, August 25, 2008 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Browns are running short on time and healthy bodies to prepare for the season opener against the Cowboys on Sept. 7.
Their star-studded inactive list of 15 players for Saturday's Lions game featured six starters, special teams ace Josh Cribbs and three 2008 Pro Bowlers in Cribbs, Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards. It also included running back Jamal Lewis, who suffered a pulled hamstring last week.
The starting offense has yet to play a series together this preseason, with tight ends Kellen Winslow (hamstring) and Steve Heiden (ankle) sitting out the first game against the Jets, Edwards (foot) missing the past two and Anderson and Lewis sitting out the Lions game.
Thanks, in part, to the injuries, the Browns' offense looked woeful in the 26-6 loss to the Lions, managing just 102 net yards and two field goals in the first half.
Problem is, the Browns are in a brutal stretch of three games in 11 days - with the preseason finale Thursday night at home against the Bears. With only two days to practice this week - today and Tuesday - the Browns are faced with some decisions.
Do they start Anderson and some of the other recuperating players against Chicago so they can get a series or two together before the opener? Or do they err on the side of caution, rest most of them and give them 10 more days to heal before the Cowboys ride into town?
Coach Romeo Crennel hinted last week that the Browns will be extra cautious with Edwards, who still has stitches in his foot. If he doesn't practice, he probably won't play against the Bears. But the starters usually only play sparingly in the exhibition finale anyway, so he wouldn't be missing much.
No one knows for sure when some of the ailing players will return and how effective they'll be. Cribbs has a high ankle sprain, which can be a lingering injury. Depending on the severity of the sprain, players can miss anywhere from about two to six weeks.
A source said Cribbs is on track to return for the opener, but until he starts to run and cut on the ankle, it's tough to predict when he'll be ready. As for Anderson, all indications are that his concussion was slight and he'll be ready for the Cowboys. The seriousness of Lewis' injury isn't yet known, but it wouldn't be surprising if he rests again Thursday night.
Receiver depth, once a strength, is a question mark. Kevin Kasper, whom the team was excited about in the off-season, suffered a mild concussion and neck injury against the Lions and is in jeopardy of not making the roster. At one point, the Browns had Kasper and Joe Jurevicius (knee) backing up Edwards and Donte' Stallworth, and now they have neither.
Even if all the wounded players streamed back into practice this week - which is unlikely - order wouldn't immediately be restored.
"When those guys come back, they're going to be a little rusty and it's going to take some time to knock the rust off," said Crennel. "So it's not going to automatically happen that we're going to be back where we want to be. We're going to have to work at it to get back to that because nothing in the NFL is guaranteed."
Key players such as guard Ryan Tucker (hip) and linebacker Antwan Peek (knee) are recovering from surgeries and won't be 100 percent by Sept. 7.
A red flag also went up Saturday night when Crennel said safety Sean Jones stayed home with swelling in his knee. No news was available on Jones on Sunday, but swelling isn't a good sign. With safety Brodney Pool out with his third concussion in four years, the Browns can ill afford to lose Jones, who has put up Pro Bowl-type numbers in the last two seasons.
It's no secret that the Browns need a fast start, with the Cowboys and Steelers visiting in Weeks 1 and 2. And both of those teams are relatively healthy, with just a couple of key injuries each. But the good news for the Browns is they have 10 days after the Bears game to heal. As for their timing, it didn't take Anderson long to adjust when he got thrown in as the starter in Week 2 last year, throwing for five TDs against the Bengals.
"Hopefully, in that [10 days] we can get some guys back and work on our technique a little bit better," said Crennel.
