HOUSTON — The Cleveland Browns will soon kick off their game against the Houston Texans inside NRG Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and they'll do so with star cornerback Denzel Ward on the field after uncertainty surrounding a late-week knee injury.
Ward entered Saturday's playoff game listed as questionable after injuring his knee in practice Friday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Friday that Ward was "limited" in practice but had no updates past that.
The cornerback has been working through the tweak since then and the team was monitoring how his knee responded leading up to kickoff, but there was hope he would be good to go. On Saturday, Ward was cleared to play.
Ward's presence provides a massive boost to the defense as the Pro-Bowl corner aims to lock down the passing threat from Texans like Nico Collins with their star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud under center.
Meanwhile, running back Pierre Strong Jr., cornerback Mike Ford Jr. and safety Juan Thornhill also entered Saturday's game listed as questionable. Strong has been dealing with a back injury sustained Week 18 against the Bengals while Ford and Thornhill have been dealing with lingering calf injuries.
Before kickoff the Browns cleared Ford and Thornhill to play, but ruled out Strong.
Here are the Browns inactives:
- K Dustin Hopkins
- QB Jeff Driskel (3rd QB)
- WR Cedric Tillman
- RB Pierre Strong Jr.
- CB Khalef Hailassie
- C Luke Wypler
- DE Isaiah McGuire
Driskel, who earlier in the week was said to be the backup moving forward, was named the emergency third quarterback while P.J. Walker was bumped up to QB2 before the game.
Cleveland had ruled safety Grant Delpit, Hopkins and Tillman out on Friday. Delpit was designated for return from injured reserve this week and was able to practice, but was not quite ready to be cleared for game action as he continues rehabbing a groin injury he had surgery on four weeks ago. Hopkins is still rehabbing a hamstring injury he sustained against the Texans in Week 16 and Tillman remains in concussion protocol after taking a hard hit against the Bengals in Week 18.
The Browns and Texans kick things off at 4:30 p.m.
