Browns vs Lions: 4 injury DNPs for DET and sign former CLE defender Wednesday

The Cleveland Browns will visit the Detroit Lions in Week 4 of the NFL season, with injuries already a big part of the story. One of our Browns points of optimism is that the Lions will have a huge rest deficit coming off of Monday Night Football in Week 4. With the team arriving back in Detroit sometime on Tuesday, the Lions participated in a walk-through instead of practice on Wednesday.

The team estimated that four of their players would not have been able to participate in a regular practice, with one other likely limited in the first injury report of the week:

• OT Tayler Decker – Shoulder – DNP
• DE Al-Quadin Muhammad – Knee -DNP
• S Daniel Thomas – Forearm – DNP
• RB Sione Vaki – Groin – DNP
• LB Derrick Barnes – Knee – Limited
• CB DJ Reed – Cramping – Full

In what could be a sign of Muhammad’s health, Detroit signed former Browns DT Quinton Jefferson to their practice squad on Wednesday and elevated TE Ross Dwelley to their active 53-man roster.

We know OL Joel Bitonio returned to practice on Wednesday but three defenders did not practice:

• DT Mike Hall Jr. – Knee – DNP
• CB Denzel Ward – Shoulder – DNP
• DT Shelby Harris – Hamstring – DNP
• OL Joel Bitonio – Back, Rest – Limited
• OL Jack Conklin – Elbow – Limited
• S Grant Delpit – Back – Limited
• DE Myles Garrett – Rest – Limited
• TE David Njoku – Knee – Limited
• WR Cedric Tillman – Hand, Hip – Limited

If Hall can’t play in Week 4, his setback will have cost Cleveland a roster spot for four weeks when he could have been on the IR-Return list. Getting Conklin back this week would help with the loss of starter Dawand Jones for the season.