Two impact Cleveland Browns defenders questionable for matchup with Baltimore Ravens

The Cleveland Browns will have an uphill battle against Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

But the game could have gotten a little bit more difficult as two impact defensive players missed practice on Friday.

Defensive end Alex Wright has been ruled out with a quad injury. Additionally, cornerback Denzel Ward is listed as questionable with an illness. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins injured his oblique during practice and did not return – making him questionable to face the Ravens.

Baltimore has turned their season around ever since Jackson returned at quarterback. Slowing him down without Wright will be difficult, as the fourth-year pass rusher has made big improvements throughout the season. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski noted that he should not need to be placed on the injured reserve.

Ward’s illness is something to monitor. If he can’t play, Tyson Campbell would be tasked with slowing down talented Ravens receivers Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins by himself. Ward has started all nine games for the Browns this season, so perhaps Friday’s practice was just some extra veteran rest.

Lastly, Collins has been a standout on Cleveland’s defensive line, which has been regarded as one of the best in football. If he cannot play, Myles Garrett and Mason Graham will be the only two starters available since Wright has already been ruled out.

That would result in an uptick of snaps from rotational defensive tackles including Shelby Harris and Mike Hall Jr.

While some fans might cringe, defensive tackle Cameron Thomas would get a chance at redemption in an increased workload if Collins can’t play. He was penalized at the end of Cleveland’s Week 10 loss against New York for jumping offsides even though the Jets had no intention of actually running a play.

After the game, Stefanski brushed off the mistake in his vacuum of everybody having to be better. Despite this, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was not pleased with the lack of focus and attention to detail in a pivotal moment during the game.

That penalty neglected Browns rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel an opportunity to manufacture a game-winning drive.

Cleveland’s defense has been a bright spot all year. While they have dealt with a few big injuries to key pieces like linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., they’ve been relatively healthy since the season began.

The defense is likely Cleveland’s only chance at a competitive game with the Ravens. Keep an eye on the pregame injury report that will drop a few hours before kickoff on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.