Browns Receive Good News on Injured Offensive Starter

The Cleveland Browns are seemingly always dealing with injuries to at least one of their starting players.

While the Browns were being beaten badly on the field, ultimately losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-10, they were also suffering a few injuries to some starting players.

One specific injury could have been much worse, that being the knee injury left guard Zion Johnson left the game with before returning a play later. Head coach Todd Monken had some positive comments about Johnson’s availability heading into week two.

Browns coach Todd Monken said the team got “good information” earlier today on Zion Johnson, who missed one play because of an injury.

“We’ll have a better idea when he gets back in the building Wednesday.”
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 14, 2026

Monken said, “we’ll have a better idea when he gets back in the building Wednesday”, which is about as vague of a comment as it can get. However, the “good information” received regarding Johnson’s injury should help ease any concerns for the time being.

Seeing Johnson return to the game was a good sign that the injury isn’t serious, but knee injuries should never be taken lightly in any scenario. Monken’s comments also shed light on the severity of the injury.

Backup options in the event that Johnson misses week two against Tampa Bay

Even though Monken’s comments somewhat indicate Johnson’s injury isn’t going to cause any setbacks, the Browns must be prepared in case his availability is threatened for their games against the Buccaneers.

The Browns were already dealing with a plug-and-play on the offensive line in their right guard spot with starter Teven Jenkins missing week one and rookie Austin Barber filling in. The case may be the same for the left guard spot if Johnson is held out.

That would likely lead to an undesirable adjustment involving their backup linemen, but if rookie Parker Brailsford is able to suit up in week two, there may be a solution, one that could come with some growing pains.

If Jenkins can’t play in week two, Barber will resume his play at right guard. If Johnson can’t suit up either, then a switch may be made involving their center Elgton Jenkins to left guard. Jenkins played plenty of games at left guard during his time with the Green Bay Packers.

This would only be a scenario if rookie center Parker Brailsford is able to play in week two, after he was held out due to a lingering thumb injury. The main takeaway from this scenario is that there are a few routes the Browns could go to shore up the offensive line.

A big issue with switching from Jenkins at center to Brailsford could possibly be quarterback Deshaun Watson’s comfortability with a rookie center. Watson’s week one performance was already lackluster, and changing centers could throw him off his game even further.

That’s the reality of the NFL, and if that ends up being the case, they’ll just have to deal with it and put their best foot forward. Injuries can happen at any time, but Cleveland is used to making adjustments on the fly.

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