PITTSBURGH — The Cleveland Browns may be out of playoff contention but their Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers still holds plenty of other implications like knocking their biggest rival out of playoff contention as well as working to end the season with a winning record.
With that said, these are the players who will be inactive for Monday's game:
- QB Kyle Lauletta.
- CB Troy Hill.
- RB Kareem Hunt.
- S Ronnie Harrison Jr.
- S John Johnson III.
- LB Mack Wilson.
- G Hjalte Froholdt.
Harrison, Hill, and Johnson were all ruled out Friday. Harrison is dealing with an ankle injury, Hill is dealing with a knee injury and Johnson is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Wilson was ruled out on Sunday night, excused from travel with the team and the game so he could deal with an undisclosed personal matter.
Hunt was listed as questionable to play with an ankle injury, returning to practice for the first time since sustaining the injury during the Week 14 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Hunt seemed excited to return during practice earlier in the week, but with playoff implications no longer a factor, Hunt was ruled out before the game.
While the Browns enter the game down four defensive players, they will have rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II back in the mix.
Newsome has been sidelined for the past two weeks, first with a concussion and then out with COVID-19. He returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday and was back to being a full participant Friday and Saturday.
Defensive end Myles Garrett also was a full participant on Saturday after being limited with a groin injury sustained in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
With Johnson and Harrison out, M.J. Stewart and Grant Delpit are expected to start at safety.
Cornerback Denzel Ward will serve as Monday's Game Captain.
For the Steelers, linebacker Buddy Johnson was ruled out on Friday with a foot injury. Punter Presley Harvin and center Kendrick Green were listed as questionable with a personal matter and calf injury, respectively.
Here are the Steelers inactives:
- QB Dwayne Haskins.
- P Pressley Harvin III.
- LB Buddy Johnson.
- DT Isaiah Buggs.
Pittsburgh did lose their share of defensive players ahead of the game, however, with linebacker and former Brown Joe Schobert placed on the COVID-19 list, as well as linebacker Devin Bush, defensive lineman Chris Wormley and cornerback Arthur Maulet. Offensive tackle Zach Banner and running back Anthony McFarland Jr. are both also on the COVID-19 list for the Steelers.
Monday night could be the last time the Browns face Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has hinted at a plan to retire at the end of the season.
"I don't ever in definites or guarantees, that's just not what I've ever done or who I am but looking at the bigger picture I would say that all signs are putting to this could be it," Roethlisberger said. "In the grand scheme of things, in terms of regular seasons, signs are pointing that way this could be it."
While Browns players have spoken with the utmost respect for the rival quarterback when asked about his possible departure from the league, sending Roethlisberger out of Heinz Field with a loss after years of him beating the Browns both in Pittsburgh and back home in Cleveland would be a welcome conclusion for the team and for Browns fans watching along.
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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