After a scary neck injury, running back D'Onta Foreman was cleared by a Virginia hospital to rejoin the team. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
WHITE SUPHUR SPRINGS, WV
Takeaways from Browns training camp Day 6 …
Running back D’Onta Foreman returned to the team after X-rays and CT scans on his neck were negative.
Foreman was transported via helicopter to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, VA, after suffering a neck injury in a punting drill.
In a statement, the Browns said Foreman sustained a direct blow to the head that resulted in neck pain. The Browns’ training staff followed standard emergency action and immobilized Foreman on a wooden stretcher before carting him to an ambulance adjacent to the field.
The Browns reported that Foreman had movement in all his extremities.
The injury occurred in the next-to-last period of the 90-minute practice. After practice ended, coach Kevin Stefanski gathered the team in the middle of the field and everyone knelt in prayer.
Foreman, 28, was signed to a one-year free agent contract in March. He was filling the role of short-yardage power back vacated when the Browns decided not to re-sign Kareem Hunt. Foreman also was repping several roles on special teams.
If Foreman is out for extended time, the Browns could look to sign another back.
Hunt led the Browns with nine rushing touchdowns last year and is still without a team. The Browns have now let Hunt walk away two times.
Turn it up
As expected, the Browns conducted their most intense practice of six so far in training camp. They wore full uniforms with pads and worked for 90 minutes in the hottest temperatures of their eight days here at The Greenbrier Resort.
For the first time, there was a one-on-one period pitting receivers against defensive backs. The offense won the period – Elijah Moore over Denzel Ward, and Amari Cooper over M.J. Emerson were the highlights – and resulted in defensive players dropping down for 10 pushups, with Stefanski joining in.
Deshaun Watson, who hasn’t missed a single period of throwing in six practices, completed a TD to Cedric Tillman for about 30 yards in one of the team periods. Practice ended on a Grant Delpit interception of Watson. It was only the second interception by the defense in six practices.
“You naturally expect these to be competitive and push each other,” Stefanski said before practice. “But there’s still a lot that both sides, offense, defense, special teams, that we’re continuing to install. So, we’re still in the infancy of putting really all the systems in.”
Conklin working inside
Right tackle Jack Conklin has yet to be seen on the field. He continues to work inside with trainers and attend meetings.
Conklin, who made All-Prop in his first season with the Browns in 2020, suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee in the 2023 season-opener against the Bengals. He had surgery in September. The year before, Conklin made it back from surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee.
“When he’s in the classroom, he’s asking good questions, you see him talking to the younger guys,” said offensive line coach Andy Dickerson. “I don’t have any more updates on him. I know he’s attacking and trying to get back as fast as he can.”
Brownie bits
Receiver Jerry Jeudy did suit up in uniform for the first time but participated only in positional drills at the start of practice. “When you’re dealing with any medical type things, I just trust what the doctors and the medical staff say,” Stefanski said. “When the player’s ready, he’ll be ready. He’s done a great job in walkthroughs and meetings. Very, very in tune, very intelligent football player. Of course, you want your players out there ASAP and throw everybody out there. But the reality is you have to trust in the medical staff here and just be out there when he’s ready.” …
Kicker Cade York missed 3 of 5 field goal tries in his first reps of training camp with the full team. York was good from 33 and 43 yards. He missed left from 38 and twice hit the left upright from 48 yards. GM Andrew Berry has indicated he’d like to keep a kicker on the practice squad because of Dustin Hopkins’ injury history …
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah missed his first practice with an undisclosed injury and worked with a trainer …
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith was back on the field after missing a few days for personal reasons …
Other players not on injury lists who did not practice included defensive end Myles Garrett, defensive tackle Shelby Harris and linebacker Tony Fields. Fields wore a boot on his right foot …
Linebacker Caleb Johnson was re-signed to the roster and linebacker Charlie Thomas was put on injured reserve (knee) …
The Browns final practice at The Greenbrier is Friday morning. They return home afterwards, have Saturday off and make their first appearance at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on Sunday.