CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns hinted at potential changes along the offensive line since going on the bye week break, and it looks as though at least one switch has been made along the front for today’s game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
According to the inactive report, the Browns kept veteran left tackle Greg Robinson on the active 46-man gameday roster, but it appears he would play only in a reserve role. On the report, Justin McCray being put into the starting lineup was an “expected change.”
McCray is in his first season with the Browns and will make his second start of the year against the Patriots.
A third-year pro out of the University of Central Florida, the 6-foot-3, 315-pound McCray has played 30 games with 14 starts, 13 of which came when he was a member of the Green Bay Packers.
In addition to the expected change along the offensive line, the Browns will have half of their starting secondary back on the field when they take on the Patriots later this afternoon.
After missing four consecutive games because of hamstring injuries, cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams will make their long-awaited return to the starting lineup.
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.
Although the Browns got good news with Williams and Ward, starting safety Damarious Randall will not play today because of a hamstring injury.
Along with Randall, the Browns deactivated wide receivers Taywan Taylor and Damion Ratley, safety Sheldrick Redwine, defensive end Chris Smith, offensive tackle Kendall Lamm and defensive tackle Eli Ankou.
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