BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are gearing up for their final regular season game, heading down for the Week 18 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. But locked in as the No. 5 seed in the playoffs, this week's game holds no weight on the postseason, and therefore the Browns will see some guys sitting out and resting for a postseason run.
On Friday, after the final practice of the week, the Browns named some of those players who won't be taking the field on Sunday—among them defensive end Myles Garrett.
Garrett, who joins quarterback Joe Flacco on the rest list (head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Flacco would rest on Wednesday), will have the week off to rest his body for the Wild Card playoff matchup to come.
With Flacco out, the Browns are starting newly added quarterback Jeff Driskel. With Garrett out, some guys in the defensive rotation will see more reps on Sunday, including Alex Wright.
Wright said he's ready to step up and try to get a win to end the season because for them it's just another game, like any other week.
"It's just the next game. But when you got the guys in this room, we trust each other on the field and at the end of the day we put together a great game plan to go into Sunday," Wright said. "We don't care that it's the last game of the season. We just look forward and we got to go 1-0."
Other players out on Sunday include kicker Dustin Hopkins, who is still working through a hamstring injury, wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has been working through a heel injury, cornerback Greg Newsome II, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., safety Juan Thornhill, and cornerback Mike Ford Jr.
Meanwhile, several other players are listed as questionable with injuries. Punter Corey Bojorquez, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, linebacker Jordan Kunasyzk and wide receiver Elijah Moore are all in question for Sunday's game.
The Bengals, who have been eliminated from playoff contention already, still plan to play some starters, like Ja'Maar Chase and Trey Hendrickson. That does't change Stefanski's approach, he said.
"They have their plan. Obviously, that's up to coach and what he does, but for us, we feel really strong about the guys that we're putting on the field and we're excited about the opportunity and it's football. So you want to win," Stefanski said.
Not on the game status update is defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo. Stefanski said there's a "good chance" Okoronkwo plays on Sunday, making his return from a pectoral injury he sustained against the Jaguars that was initially believed to be season-ending.
At the end of the regular season, many players find themselves dealing with various ailments, and with the Browns no strangers to injuries—especially this season—having an added week to get rest is invaluable.
