CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns head into a short week against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a chance to take over the top spot in the AFC North, and their injury picture for Thursday Night Football is taking shape. Head coach Todd Monken noted cornerback Tyson Campbell, who missed Week 3, was close to playing against the Carolina Panthers and is likely to play against Pittsburgh, while offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins is trending toward missing the divisional matchup.
Neither team practiced Monday but was required to submit estimated participation and injury reports for Week 4. Jenkins was listed as DNP with a concussion, and the testing requirements of the concussion protocol make him likely to miss Thursday. Rookie Paker Brailsford is listed as the backup center but has been inactive to start the season, while Luke Wypler has been active.
On the Pittsburgh side, the estimated report listed cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as full with a not injury related/conditioning designation and cornerback Brandin Echols as limited with a concussion. Porter has not played in Pittsburgh's first three games due to a contract dispute and a back issue from training camp, and with the Steelers' rules against negotiating in season, his return for this week's contest appears unlikely.
Thursday Night Football often leads teams to lean on walkthroughs and play it safe with injured players, and Cleveland had mostly good injury luck early in the season before Campbell's Week 3 absence. The estimated reports set the early outlook for Week 4 as both teams navigate the compressed schedule.