The Browns announced the playing status for a number of players ahead of Wild Card weekend, when the Browns will face the Texans.
CB Denzel Ward is officially listed as questionable for Saturday's playoff matchup due to a knee injury. HC Kevin Stefanski said Ward suffered a knee injury during practice on Thursday.
“Something with his knee, he was limited,” Stefanski said. “I don’t really have an update beyond that.”
CB Mike Ford Jr. (calf), RB Pierre Strong Jr. (back) and S Juan Thornhill (calf) are also questionable to advance to the first round of the playoffs. Strong suffered a hit in the fourth quarter of the Browns' Week 18 game against the Bengals and did not return for the remainder of the game. He did not participate in practice on Tuesday and was limited on Wednesday.
“He fights like crazy,” Stefanski said. “He’s a very tough kid, so he looked good.”
S Grant Delpit (groin), K Dustin Hopkins (left hamstring) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) are out for the first game of the playoffs.
Delpit was scheduled to return from injured reserve on January 10th. He returned to practice this week as he was a limited participant on Wednesday. However, the Browns have not activated Delpit and he will miss the Wild Card game against the Texans.
“I’m just coming along, it’s all part of the rehab process,” Stefanski said of Delpit. “Part of that process is getting out on the training pitch and getting through individual and team phases. But he’s moving in the right direction and making really good progress.”
Hopkins continues to work on the left hamstring injury he sustained in Week 16. Stefanski said earlier this week that it was unlikely Hopkins would kick in the playoff game. The Browns relied on K Riley Patterson — whom they signed to the practice squad on Dec. 25 — as their kicker in the final two games of the season.
Tillman suffered a concussion in Week 18 against the Bengals and is out for the first round of the playoffs. Stefanski said Tillman is still working through concussion protocol.