Browns news and notes, Week 7: No fines from NFL for pregame fight between Browns, 49ers

INDIANAPOLIS — Turns out, absolutely no one was publicly punished for their role in the pregame scuffle between the Browns and the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday.

The only fines handed out by the NFL on Saturday to Browns players involved plays on the opening drive. Safety Juan Thornhill was fined $12,578 for unnecessary roughness with 14:55 remaining in the first quarter, while defensive end Za'Darius Smith was fined $10.927 for unnecessary roughness with 13:08 remaining in the quarter

The scuffle occurred about 40 minutes before kickoff this past Sunday. There were no penalties assessed in the game, nor were any 49ers players fined by the league for any actions on Saturday.

Browns sign Deon Jackson, elevate P.J. Walker, Charlie Thomas III

The Browns added a running back to their active roster prior to Sunday's game at the Indianapolis Colts. What that means for Kareem Hunt's status for the game is uncertain.

The Browns signed Deon Jackson to the active roster on Saturday. Jackson, a third-year pro out of Duke, has spent the past four weeks on the Browns practice squad.

Jackson made be an insurance policy in case Hunt, who was listed as questionable for the game with a thigh injury, can't play against the Colts. He was originally with Indianapolis from 2021 until they waived him on Sept. 23 this year after they signed him as an undrafted free agent.

The 5-foot-11, 216-pound Jackson played in 27 career games with the Colts, including three starts. This season, he appeared in two games, including a start, with 14 rushing and 14 receiving yards.

In 16 games last season, he rushed for 236 yards and one touchdown. He has 281 yards and two touchdowns on 94 carries for his career.

Also among the transactions the Browns made on Saturday, they elevated quarterback P.J. Walker and linebacker Charlie Thomas II from the practice squad to the active roster. It's Walker's third elevation, meaning the Browns would have to sign him to the active roster in order to keep him as Deshaun Watson's backup.

Walker started this past Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, going 18-of-34 for 192 yards with a pair of interceptions and an 87.8 passer rating. Thomas provides depth at linebacker after Sione Takitaki was ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained late this week.

Thursday's Browns news and notes

Anthony Walker Jr. among injured Browns players to return to practice

Anthony Walker Jr. was back on the practice field for the Browns on Thursday. So, too, were virtually all of the Browns players who sat out the previous day's workout.

Walker was the second-most significant player to return to practice Thursday as the Browns prepare for Sunday's game at the Indianapolis Colts. The linebacker has been in concussion protocol since leaving Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers after being injured on the second-half kickoff.

Walker was a limited participant in practice Thursday. So, too, were tight end Harrison Bryant (hip), running back Kareem Hunt (thigh), cornerback Greg Newsome II (hamstring) and, of course, quarterback Deshaun Watson (right shoulder).

Left guard Joel Bitonio, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing the 49ers game with a knee injury, was the only Browns player not practicing. Bitonio's absence was for a normal veteran's rest day.

Bubba Ventrone expects Colts to have Lucas Oil Stadium roof open

Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone is returning to Indianapolis, the place where he spent five seasons as the Colts' special teams coordinator. That gives him an intimate knowledge on the one thing that could, in theory, alter the climate: the status of the Lucas Oil Stadium roof and/or giant window in the north end zone.

Ventrone said Thursday the Browns were expecting to have the roof open Sunday. The Colts have played 124 previous games at Lucas Oil Stadium, with both the roof and window closed in 81 of those games and the roof closed and the window open in another six games.

"Yeah, they like to open it for whatever reason, even if it's like 50 or 60 degrees," Ventrone said. "I know that the players don't love it, and I don't think the fans do either, but there's not a big impact in it. The wind pattern — we play in Cleveland, we have wind here. Even if the window's open there, it's not windy. It really doesn't have an impact, but we're anticipating it will be open. And it'll probably be colder."

Denzel Ward presence 'could have' affected 49ers field goal try

The Browns aren't 100% sure if Denzel Ward had an impact on the 41-yard field goal the 49ers' Jake Moody missed with 6 seconds remaining to preserve Sunday's 19-17 win. If anyone could've altered it, though, Ventrone said it was Ward.

"Yeah, he had good rushes throughout the entire game," Ventrone said. "And, you know, that's a tough kick. It's a pressure situation with a loud audience. And he got a good jump on the ball, so it could have affected it."

Ward has blocked multiple field goal tries in his career. Ventrone said it's a testament to the try-hard mindset he's found among the regulars who also play special teams.

"I would say this in speaking about Denzel and his role for us on that unit and with other starters, and I talked about this early in the season: We have a lot of starters that are playing one unit, two units, field goal, whatever it may be, and everyone's embracing those roles. … And that's what football is, it's a team sport. Everyone has to be willing to do whatever it takes to win and, fortunately, our team has bought into that."

Wednesday's Browns news and notes

Joel Bitonio returns to practice after knee procedure

There were plenty of notable Browns either inside the facility or off to the side dealing with injuries. However, there was one big notable Browns player who was back on the field for the first time since the bye week.

All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio was back on the practice field after missing this past Sunday's game due to an arthroscopic knee procedure he underwent during the bye. Bitonio was a limited participant in practice.

The win over the San Francisco 49ers ended Bitonio's 102-game regular-season start streak which dated back to the beginning of the 2017 season. Michael Dunn started in Bitonio's place despite battling his own calf injury, which landed Dunn on the injured reserve list on Tuesday.

Another Browns player who returned to practice Wednesday was rookie receiver Cedric Tillman. Tillman had missed the 49ers game with a hip injury.

Greg Newsome II, Kareem Hunt among lengthy list of injured Browns

While Bitonio was back on the practice field, the Browns had arguably the season's longest list of players not practicing on Wednesday. While not all were due to injuries, it was still eye-opening to see such a lengthy list.

"It's all different," coach Kevin Stefanski said of the players' availability Sunday against the Colts. "We'll see how each day goes. I think it's important with all their injuries. They're all in different places, and we'll see how they do."

Not practicing on Wednesday were:

• Tight end Harrison Bryant (hip)

• Receiver Amari Cooper (rest, ankle)

• Defensive end Myles Garrett (rest)

• Kicker Dustin Hopkins (personal)

• Running back Kareem Hunt (thigh)

• Cornerback Greg Newsome II (hamstring)

• Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (rest)

• Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (concussion)

• Quarterback Deshaun Watson (right shoulder)

Tuesday's Browns news and notes

Michael Dunn placed on injured reserve with knee injury

Michael Dunn fought all he could through a calf injury while trying to fill in on Sunday for All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio. Turns out, the injury was more than even he let on.

The Browns placed the reserve offensive lineman on the injured reserve list on Tuesday. It's the second consecutive year Dunn has been put on the IR, having dealt with a back injury that landed him on the list in November of last season.

Dunn had appeared in four games for the Browns this season. He has 32 career appearances with five starts since signing with the Browns in 2020.

The first week he will be eligible to be removed from the list is in Week 11 prior to the Browns' home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Monday's Browns news and notes

Michael Dunn 'unbelievable' filling in for Joel Bitonio

Michael Dunn was in an unenviable spot Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Browns reserve lineman was starting at left guard in place of an All-Pro in Joel Bitonio. On top of that, he was also fighting through a calf injury of his own.

None of that, however, seemed to faze Dunn, who played all 76 offensive snaps in a 19-17 Browns win.

"He was unbelievable," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said on a Zoom call Monday. "I mean, the way he fought through his injury, he wouldn't come out of the game and you can see it on tape that he was fighting. In the run game, in the pass game, he's a guy that we trust so much. He's played well when we put him in there. He is an awesome teammate, just an all-around good person. We're really pleased that he's a member of the Browns."

Dunn's calf injury remains something the team will monitor throughout the week. However, on the positive side, Stefanski sounded optimistic of Bitonio's return to practice this week as the Browns turn their attention to next Sunday's road game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Bitonio had his 102-game regular-season start streak snapped Sunday. He has been recovering from an arthroscopic knee procedure he had done during the Browns' bye week.

"That knee continues to get better," Stefanski said "Hopefully we'll see him out at practice Wednesday."

With Dunn starting in place of one injured All-Pro in Bitonio and Dawand Jones making his fourth start at right tackle in place of Jack Conklin, another injured All-Pro, the Browns still managed to gain 334 total yards against a 49ers defense that came in third in the league allowing 266.8 yards per game. Even more impressive was the 160 rushing yards the Browns gained against the league's second-ranked run defense that had been allowing 64.2 yards per game.

The 49ers only managed to sack quarterback P.J. Walker twice. One was by newly added end Randy Gregory in the third quarter, and the other was by Nick Bosa right before Dustin Hopkins' 50-yard field goal with 3:21 remaining.

Anthony Walker Jr. placed in concussion protocol

One of the few downers for the Browns coming out of Sunday's win was the status of linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. He left the game in the third quarter to be evaluated for a head injury, and was later ruled out with a concussion.

Stefanski confirmed Monday that Walker has been placed in the concussion protocol. He was unsure on the exact play Walker sustained the injury.

Per the official gamebook, Walker was in on 23 defensive snaps, or 37% of the snaps on that side of the ball. He also played eight snaps on special teams.

Walker was credited with one tackle against the 49ers.

Also on the injury front, Stefanski said rookie receiver Cedric Tillman appeared to be on the right track to practice this week. He was ruled out against the 49ers due to a hip injury.

Change of spot leads Kevin Stefanski to a change of mind

The Browns were staring at a fourth-and-1 decision inside their own 45 early in the fourth quarter. Stefanski originally had the offense staying on the field with the intent to go for it.

However, after the officials moved the ball to make the distance to gain longer, Stefanski elected to take a delay of game before sending the punt team on the field.

"Yeah, they changed the spot on us," Stefanski said. "It was fourth-and-inches, I think, and then it became fourth-and-1 and just felt like the way our defense was playing, let's play the field position game there."

Harrison Bryant's new role: Short-yardage QB

The Browns have turned tight end Harrison Bryant into their short-yardage quarterback. Or, at least that's the way it's played out over the first five games.

Usually, when it's third- or fourth-and-short, Bryant will motion from one spot in the formation to under center. He was 2 for 2 in converting those entering Sunday.

Stefanski unveiled a wrinkle in that when facing third-and-1 Sunday from the 49ers 16, where Bryant lined up immediately under center. Instead of keeping it himself, Bryant tossed the ball to Kareem Hunt, who took off for a touchdown.

"Those meetings for short yardage [or] goal line, those are some of my favorite ones during the week because you try to look at what you might be facing and try and get creative and get that yard sometimes," Stefanski said. "And then there are also opportunities at times for explosives. … But to have a versatile football player like Harrison that you trust in those moments to do a variety of things."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns news and notes, Week 7: Daily live updates