Juan Thornhill's recurring problems with a calf injury have landed him on injured reserve. (Getty Images)
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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.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
The carnage from the 33-17 bludgeoning by the Dallas Cowboys in Game 1 continued.
The Browns announced four players suffered injuries bad enough to go on injured reserve and miss a minimum of four games.
They are: Safety Juan Thornhill (calf), defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (ankle), linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (ankle), and linebacker Tony Fields (ankle).
Stefanski said all are eligible to return after four weeks. He did not consider any to be season-ending injuries.
Thornhill originally suffered a calf injury in the win in Baltimore on November 12 last year. He missed five games. After the season, Thornhill complained that he never got over the injury. In his first season with the Browns after four with the Chiefs, Thornhill did not have an interception for the first time in his NFL career.
Stefanski said this year’s injury was to the same calf.
“He’s worked so hard. Just an unfortunate thing,” Stefanski said.
Rodney McLeod and Ronnie Hickman will share Thornhill’s role as free safety, per the coach.
To replace the other injured defensive players, the Browns signed to the active roster: Defensive tackle Sam Kamara (practice squad) and linebacker Khaleke Hudson (from Saints’ practice squad). They also promoted wide receiver David Bell and cornerback Mike Ford from their practice squad.
Also, added to the Browns practice squad were defensive tackle Siaki Ika, tight end Geoff Swaim, and linebacker Luji Villain.
Tight ends R US
David Njoku (ankle) was not put on IR, but he won’t play this week, Stefanski said. That leaves Jordan Akins as the only tight end experienced in the Browns’ offense.
Three others have been recently signed to the practice squad: Swaim, Cameron Latu and Blake Whiteheart.
Swaim is a 10-year veteran with stints with the Cowboys, Jaguars, Titans and Cardinals.
Seriously?
GM Andrew Berry made a puzzling move in signing Giants and Chiefs reject Kadarius Toney to the practice squad. He released Cleveland-native Justin Hardee, a three-time special teams captain with the Jets, to make room.
Toney, the 20th overall pick of the 2021 draft by the Giants, was traded to the Chiefs for a third-round pick in 2022.
In 1 ½ seasons with the Chiefs, Toney averaged 8.3 yards per reception with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback. He averaged 7.4 yards on 16 punt returns. But Tony did have a touchdown catch and set a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return in the Chiefs’ 38-35 win over the Eagles in SB 57.
The Browns have no shortage of receivers or return specialists. I asked Stefanski what this move was about.
He replied: “Just felt like it’s a player that we can add to our practice squad. Potentially down the road somebody that could help us on offense and special teams.”
Left tackle update
Prior to practice, Stefanski said Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin would practice. But Wills did not practice, according to the team’s participation report. Conklin was limited, which means he didn’t practice in the full team period.
All of which points to James Hudson receiving his second start at left tackle Sunday in Jacksonville.
Brownie bits
Left guard Joel Bitonio was limited with an elbow injury. He wore a heavy brace on his right elbow …
Besides Njoku and Wills, cornerback Myles Harden (shin) was the only player to not practice …
The Browns held Dallas’ $34 million-a-year receiver CeeDee Lamb to a below average 5 receptions on 10 targets for 61 yards. Cornerback Denzel Ward thought the defense played “decent … I don’t think we played bad,” but he lamented three balls that went off his hands. “I’ve been so frustrated with myself. I feel I have to do more to come down with those balls. I’m going to be better. I probably should have had three [interceptions].” …
Ward said the Watson lawsuit is not a distraction. “I just think there’s a lot of hate and negativity in this world. I think you have to wrap your arms around people and express more love. People don’t know the full stories of everything,” he said …
Receiver Jerry Jeudy, when asked if the team has full confidence in Watson: “Oh, for sure, for sure.” …
The first game with Stefanski calling plays introduced to the offense by new coordinator Ken Dorsey was a veritable disaster, of course. I asked Watson how he felt the play-calling process worked. “I mean, it wasn’t no different or anything like that. We just got to execute the game plan,” he said.