Browns are really, really banged up for Thursday vs. Bengals

With a glance at their injury report, a drawback of short week football is on full display for the Cleveland Browns.

In one sense, the Cleveland Browns have a quick opportunity to rebound form a 38-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. But playing on a short week Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals also means a short recovery time for anyone who is injured.

The Browns have put out an injury report for Thursday night. Four players on the defensive side of the ball–cornerback Kevin Johnson (liver), cornerback Greedy Williams (shoulder), linebacker Mack Wilson (knee) and linebacker Jacob Phillips (knee) have been declared out. Defensive end Olivier Vernon (abdomen) is listed as questionable.

Shifting over to the offensive side, wide receiver Jarvis Landry (hip) is listed as questionable. Starting offensive tackles Jack Conklin (ankle/finger) and Jedrick Willis (shin) are also questionable, as are center JC Tretter (knee) and backup guard/tackle Chris Hubbard (ankle).

All the questionable players have been either limited or held out of practice this week.

The NFL’s elimination of the probable injury designation a few years ago makes it hard to know how close anyone listed as questionable really is to being able to play. Teams that play Thursday night after a Sunday game also only offer estimations of player’s practice participation on Monday that week, without having a formal session. Full clarity on injured players who aren’t declared out on a short week only really comes when inactives are released before a Thursday night game.

A loss to the Bengals on Thursday night would drop Cleveland to an especially dismal-looking 0-2, so it’s as close a must-win for them as there can be in only Week 2. All six key players who are listed as questionable may play given that circumstance, but the Browns will be operating in a banged-up state on a short week.