The Browns (4-3) and Buccaneers (1-6) will suit up Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium in a pivotal early November game for coach Mike Pettine's squad. Cleveland's looking to improve on their 3-1 home record and their strong defensive showing in the month of October.
The big news of the day comes from Berea, where tight end Jordan Cameron has been ruled out for Sunday's game with a concussion. Cameron suffered the injury on a vicious hit across the middle last week against the Raiders. The Browns will re-evaluate his symptoms next week before the Thursday Night game in Cincinnati against the Bengals.
A shoulder injury slowed down Cameron earlier in the season, so the Browns have played and been successful without their starter before. Jim Dray, Gary Barnidge and recently signed tight end Ryan Taylor, who was claimed on waivers from Baltimore on Monday, will do their best to replace the Pro Bowler.
Here are some other injury updates both clubs filed Friday after practice.
- Pettine has always held Jim Dray highly and thinks the Browns will be able to weather the storm without Cameron.
- "He's precise in what he does. If you tell him to run a route a certain way, he runs it," Pettine said of Dray. "The ball gets thrown to him, and he catches it. There's not a lot of flash to Jim, but he's just one of those guys who fills a great role for us. That's why we're confident with him and (TE) Gary (Barnidge) going into this game that they can pick up some of that slack without Jordan."
- No surprise here, but Phil Taylor has also been ruled out for a fourth straight game. Pettine and the Browns medical staff say Taylor is rehabbing well following arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 8.
- With John Hughes also on the short term injured reserve list, expect defensive lineman Billy Winn to play a critical role on Sunday. Winn's last game was way back on Oct. 5 against the Titans.
- "It means a lot. It was good timing," Pettine said about getting Winn back. "I've said this before. The unfortunate timing of losing (DL) John (Hughes) who had been playing extremely well, but to get Billy back...he's had a good week. Hopefully that will translate on Sunday."
- Ahtyba Rubin (ankle), K'Waun Williams (shoulder/neck) are listed as probable. Reserve wide receiver Rodney Smith is listed as questionable with a nagging hamstring.
- The injury bug has hit Tampa Bay much harder than the Browns this week. Kick returner Trindon Holliday (hamstring) and former Browns linebacker Brandon Magee (knee) are listed as out. Starting tackle Anthony Collins (foot) is doubtful, as is running back Doug Martin (ankle). Defensive end Michael Johnson (hand) is listed as questionable.
