The Browns wrap the preseason next weekend, with a trip to Seattle. And the plan remains for quarterback Deshaun Watson to play — despite a noticeable lack of healthy players to block for him.
With starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. still recovering from last year’s season-ending knee injury, the Browns lost No. 2 and No. 3 on the depth chart to injury on Saturday against the Vikings.
Backup James Hudson IIi has an ankle injury. Third-stringer Hakeem Adenji has a knee injury.
Starting right tackle Jack Conklin continues to rehab from last year’s knee injury, too. Backup Germain Ifedi suffered a finger injury on Saturday.
Still, the Browns plan for Watson to make his preseason debut against the Seahawks.
“We’ll see,” coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters after Saturday’s game. “I mean, the plan is for Deshaun to play. Obviously, I take in all the information week-to-week, day-to-day, but that is the plan.”
Watson, whose season ended after an upset win in Baltimore due to a broken bone in his shoulder, has been cleared for contact. But getting healthy is one thing. Now, the challenge for the Browns will be to keep him healthy. And to hope he can turn the clock back to 2020, the last time we saw him consistently play at a high level.
And the Browns will need their best blockers ready to go, what with Micah Parsons and company coming to town in three weeks.