SEATTLE — The Cleveland Browns are in the Pacific Northwest taking on a seldom-scheduled opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, and they'll do so with their starting running back Jerome Ford, who was cleared to play despite dealing with an ankle injury all week.
Ford left the game last week against the Colts with an ankle injury that continued to keep him sidelined through the first two days of this week's practice. However, Ford was able to return to practice Friday, albeit limited. The Browns listed him as questionable heading into the game, wanting to see how he felt Sunday in warmups before making a decision on his status.
Ford was listed as active and cleared to play ahead of kickoff.
The Browns had other players they were also monitoring heading into the game. Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, linebacker Sione Takitaki and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. were all listed as questionable heading into the game against the Seahawks.
Goodwin didn't practice two of the three days with a back injury, returning on Friday after working to the side all week. Takitaki worked his way back to practice on Friday as well. He had been ruled out of the Colts game after sustaining a hamstring injury that previous Friday that saw him ruled out. Wills was limited in practice Wednesday after sustaining a foot/ankle injury. He didn't practice Thursday but returned in a limited fashion on Friday.
All three were cleared to play and are active against the Seahawks.
Here are the Browns inactives for Sunday's game:
- QB Deshaun Watson
- WR Cedric Tillman
- CB Kahlef Hailassie
- RB Jordan Wilkins
- S Ronnie Hickman
- DE Isaiah McGuire
- DT Siaki Ika
Watson was ruled out with his shoulder injury, a rotator cuff contusion in his throwing arm, on Wednesday before the first practice of the week. Watson had returned to the field the week before against the Colts, but after just five passes in a few series and a hit that knocked him to the ground, the Browns kept Watson out to protect him.
During this week of practice, Watson returned to working inside on his medical rehab process as he continued waiting for swelling to go down in his shoulder so he can regain functionality before returning to the field again.
With Watson out for another game, quarterback P.J. Walker will get his second true start with the Browns.
Here are the Seahawks inactives for Sunday's game:
- WR Cody Thompson
- CB Kyu Blu Kelly
- LB Drake Thomas
- G Phil Haynes
- T McClendon Curtis
- T Raiqwon O'Neal
