Right tackle Jack Conklin ruled out for Browns’ finale at Steelers
BEREA — Jack Conklin will not be available for the Browns for Sunday’s season finale at the Pittsburgh Steelers. That means second-year pro James Hudson III will get the start at right tackle.
Conklin suffered an ankle injury during the third quarter of the Browns’ win at the Washington Commanders. He returned for a few plays after getting his ankle re-taped before leaving for good with less than four minutes remaining in the quarter.
For Hudson, that means once again going up against the Steelers’ star edge rusher, T.J. Watt. In last season’s Week 16 matchup in Pittsburgh, Watt beat Hudson for four of the Steelers’ nine sacks they had of quarterback Baker Mayfield in a 26-14 Browns loss.
Although Conklin and rookie defensive end Isaiah Thomas (foot) were ruled out for the game, cornerback Denzel Ward’s status for the game is questionable. Ward sustained a shoulder injury in the third quarter at Washington and did not return.
Ward has spent all three days of practice this week working out off to the side with a trainer. If he can’t play, rookie Martin Emerson Jr. would make his seventh start of the season.
Emerson has been the primary fill-in this season when either Ward or Greg Newsome II has been out. He’s fifth on the team in tackles with 59, along with one sack and 13 passes defensed.
Ward had his third interception of the season in last Sunday’s win over the Commanders. Since the Week 13 win at Houston, he has picked off two passes and recovered a fumble, which he returned for a touchdown.
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