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BEREA, Ohio – The sight of Browns defensive end Takk McKinley entering the club’s facilities on Tuesday means his return to the pitch is not far off.
It’s a welcome development for the Browns, who have a number of injured defenders including defensive end Porter Gustin, who was sidelined on Tuesday with a knee injury.
If McKinley, who has missed the past three weeks while working on a personal issue, can return to the pitch soon, there’s a chance he’ll help in the opening game at Kansas City. That would be great news for the Browns, who signed him to be their No.2 defensive end behind Myles Garrett and then their No.3 when they signed Jadeveon Clowney.
McKinley, the No.26 pick in the 2017 Falcons Draft, was to play a big part in the final rotation and use his top speed to disrupt quarterbacks. That’s still the plan if he can overcome whatever he’s been faced with.
McKinley first left the field with an illness on July 30, then returned the next day to retire a few times looking ill. He was not seen outside again until Tuesday and left town for a few weeks. He returned a week ago on Monday and participated in meetings and training sessions.
“He’s fine,” said Kevin Stefanski. “Work through this. Hopefully we’ll see more of it as we go.
He noted that “we all support our guys in the building and outside the building. He has our support. He has my support. I think the guys are happy to find him.
Security John Johnson III, for his part, welcomed him with open arms.
“It was awesome,” he said. “He came with me all this free agency course, so it was good to have our strong team back. Hopefully everything he was dealing with is done and he can get down to business. Nice to have him here.
He acknowledged that this gives the team a boost.
“That spark, his game speaks for itself,” Johnson said. “He’s a very energetic guy.”
Before McKinley left, he was learning a lot from Garrett and Clowney. He seemed like a perfectionist in the limited training time he had. The Browns are hoping he can resuscitate his career after a bumpy road with the Falcons, then a brief stint with the Raiders last season.
The Browns are hopeful that McKinley, and several other roster players with some issues, will thrive in a supportive environment.
JOK points
The Owusu-Koramoah weightlifting accident at the Browns facility, which resulted in stitches in his forehead and sidelined him on Tuesday, represents another minor setback in his attempt to start or stop. play a key role in the first game. As it stands, Owusu-Koramoah was still working to make up for the first five days of training camp in the COVID-19 reserve.
Sure, he exceeded expectations in the preseason opener at Jacksonville, but any missed time is important to a rookie.
Because a helmet can worsen a gash to the forehead, the Browns won’t rush him onto the pitch, and it’s unclear whether he’ll play the final preseason game Sunday night in Atlanta. But Owusu-Koramoah should have enough time to be ready for the Chiefs, given that there are almost two weeks left to prepare.
The team’s best blitzer, Koramoah can make up for his inexperience with his exceptional closing speed. His instincts and athleticism are so good the Browns will want to put him on the court as soon as they can.
The other good thing is that Mack Wilson is back from his shoulder injury and can probably start against the Chiefs if necessary. Maybe it would be better if JOK got off the bench.
Davis’ suspension
The Browns knew no doubt that Davis’s two-game NFL suspension for violating substance abuse policy was coming, but were willing to give it a shot anyway. The suspension is linked to Davis’ arrest for impaired driving in October 2019, for which he ultimately pleaded guilty to reckless driving.
Again, the Browns are willing to take their chances with a player with some history if they feel like he’s a good person who made a mistake and can make a difference.
In the case of Davis, initially signed by the Vikings as an undrafted rookie from Sam Houston State, he showed excellent hands and an ability to point the ball. He was probably meant for the practice team if he got any waivers, and he could still find his way around after his return.
Parkey’s departure
Cody Parkey was in an uphill battle with Chase McLaughlin when he injured his quad on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. He was released from the casualty reserve on Tuesday with a settlement.
Technically, Parkey could sign again three weeks after the settlement agreement, but his departure on Tuesday makes it unlikely. However, never say never. Kickers have a way of resurfacing.
McLaughlin, who scored 49 yards after Dawg Pound on Sunday, will get his shot to be the full-time kicker. They will also keep their eyes peeled for the kickers who will be released in the final cups on August 31.
Schwartz is still working on his comeback
Schwartz (hamstring) was among the players still inactive on Tuesday on what was an extra training day in a week long. The third-round pick has to prove he’s ready for the job, and he’s missed most of training camp after missing most of the spring training sessions with the initial hamstring injury.
A player with world-class speed like Schwartz can’t run with a pulled hamstring, so the Browns are cautious about getting him healthy. Other inactive players on Tuesday were safety Grant Delpit (hamstrings), cornerback Denzel Ward (pain), cornerback Greedy Williams (groin), safety Sheldrick Redwine (ankle), cornerback MJ Stewart (hamstrings), Gustin (knee), receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley (knee), center JC Tretter (veteran rest), Sione Takitaki (hamstrings) and Tony Fields (foot).
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