Browns Week 17 Inactives vs. Jets: Amari Cooper Ruled Out With Heel Injury
The Browns have placed seven players on their inactives list for their Thursday night battle against the Jets in Week 17.
Here is the full list of inactives:
WR Amari Cooper
K Dustin Hopkins
DE Ogbo Okoronkwo
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
C Luke Wypler
DE Sam Kamara
P Corey Bojorquez
The most notable and surprising part of the inactives list is that Cooper is ruled out with a heel injury. Cooper, who set the franchise record with 265 receiving yards last Sunday against the Texans, will miss his first game of of his Browns tenure after he didn't participate at all in practice this week.
Cooper could be tough to replace, particularly against a stout Jets defense. He has been a reliable outlet for Joe Flacco since Flacco took over as the starting QB, tallying 485 yards and three touchdowns on 25 catches in Flacco's four starts.
Cooper was initially expected to play, according to a report from NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, so it appears his pregame warmup did not go as the Browns initially hoped.
The other notable part of the inactives is that two specialists — K Dustin Hopkins (hamstring) and P Corey Bojorquez (left quad) — are inactive. Hopkins had been the top kicker in the NFL this season, drilling a league-high 33 field goals from 36 attempts, including four game-winning kicks.
Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins (7) kicks a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The Browns suffered a remarkably unfortunate series of injury events to both players last week against the Texans when Hopkins suffered a hamstring injury attempting to catch up to Texans returner Dameon Pierce on a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Bojorquez, who was also the holder, suffered his injury in the same game, which forced the Browns to sign Matt Haack and Riley Patterson to their practice squad earlier in the week. Both players were elevated from the practice squad Thursday.
Patterson played 13 games with the Lions last season and converted on 15 of 17 field-goal attempts and 35 of 37 extra-point attempts.
Okoronkwo (pectoral) and Walker (knee) were both ruled out for the game Wednesday. They will each miss their third straight game.
Safety Juan Thornhill is also active after he was ruled questionable with a calf injury and will play his first game since Week 13.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.
