CLEVELAND — Odell Beckham Jr. is questionable for the Browns’ season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but there was one bit of good news coming out of Browns practice on Friday.
Defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney returned to practice Friday after being held out for several days due to illness. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said the illness was not related to COVID-19.
Beckham has been limited in practice this week due to a knee injury. Stefanski said Beckham’s status will be decided over the next two days.
Beckham was injured for much of 2020, only appearing in seven of 16 games. But offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said injuries have not slowed the star wide receiver.
“Yeah, he definitely still has it,” Van Pelt said. “There is no question. He is powerful and explosive when he starts to run, and he digs in. He can fly. Having that speed back on the field, we are looking forward to that.”
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins was also limited this week with a hamstring injury, but was a full go on Friday.
“I think for all of these guys that were limited at practice, we will make sure that we huddle up over the next 48 hours and make decisions,” Stefanski said.
The squad’s top two strong safeties, Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Grant Delpit, have been also limited this week. Harrison is dealing with a hamstring injury while Delpit has an injured ankle.
If Harrison and Delpit are both unable to participate Sunday, the Browns have depth at the position and can call upon M.J. Stewart Jr. to fill the role. Stewart played in all 16 games for the Browns in 2020 and made 22 tackles.
Stefanski said it’s possible some of the players could play in a limited role on Sunday.
“For every single player who comes into the game, they have to be ready to play the whole game, but we as coaches and as a medical staff make sure that we have guys who are ready to do whatever they are capable to do,” Stefanski said. “There are a bunch of guys that you look at and say, ‘Alright, he can go this many plays based on this.’”
Another concern Stefanski and the Browns will have to encounter is the heat. The projected high in Kansas City for Sunday is 92, according to the National Weather Service.
“We do not control the crowd noise and we do not control the heat, but we have to deal with it,” Stefanski said. “We have to have a plan. We have made sure that the guys are understanding what they need to do really throughout the week to make sure that they are ready to go on Sunday.”
