CLEVELAND — Just when the Cleveland Browns’ secondary looked like it was getting healthy, the dreaded hamstring injury bug bit once more.
Although the Browns are expected to get cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams back from their hamstring injuries after each player missed the final four games heading into the bye week last Sunday, safety Damarious Randall suffered a similar injury and was unable to practice all week.
Following Friday’s practice, the Browns officially ruled out Randall for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
While Randall will miss Sunday’s game because of the hamstring issue, he maintained a sense of humor about the whole situation when a fan called him “injury prone.”
Randall played in 15 games for the Browns in 2018 and has suited up in four of their first six outings in 2019, missing two weeks while in NFL Concussion Protocol.
On the unofficial depth chart in the Browns’ weekly game release, Eric Murray was listed as Randall’s backup. Also, veteran safety Jermaine Whitehead could see an increased role against the Patriots in Randall’s absence.
“I think Jermaine has done a good job of making sure everyone is on the same page,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said following Friday’s practice. “He is kind of the quarterback back there. He has played well, defended the ball well and tackled well. I have a lot of confidence in Jermaine.”
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter was among the first to report that Williams and Ward are expected to play against the Patriots.
Both Williams and Ward were full participants in practice throughout the week after sitting out losses to the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, as well as a road win over the AFC North Division-leading Baltimore Ravens.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, Ward has registered seven total tackles, four solo stops and three assists, in his second season. Williams, whom the Browns traded up to select in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of LSU, has made five total tackles with four solo stops and one assist in his first two games.