In professional sports, expectations are a heck of a thing. Most Cleveland Browns fans, and betting apps, had very low hopes for the team’s performance in 2025. The opposite was true for the Cincinnati Bengals, which led to a very disappointing season in Southern Ohio/Northern Kentucky.
A win in Week 17 versus AFC North rivals in the Pittsburgh Steelers have removed the Browns from any hope of the top pick in the 2026 NFL draft, but Week 18 puts them in a position to end the year with back-to-back
wins within the division. Underdogs on the road, Cleveland has the same thing to play for that Cincinnati does: Nothing and pride.
The Browns are already set to pick in the top seven of next year’s draft, no matter the outcome of Week 18, but injuries on both sides could impact the AFC North Battle of Ohio to end the season. Even OL Kingsley Eguakun, signed from the Detroit Lions this week, is dealing with an injury for Cleveland.
In the first injury report of the week, 11 players did not practice, six from the Bengals side of the ledger:
- RB Chase Brown – Illness
- TE Cam Grandy – Chest
- DE BJ Hill – Ankle
- WR Charlie Jones – Ankle
- CB Josh Newton – Hamstring
- DE Joseph Ossai – Ankle
The five Browns players who sat out Wednesday’s practice:
- TE Harold Fannin – Groin
- OL Teven Jenkins – Concussion
- OL Kingsley Eguakun – Knee, Shoulder
- TE David Njoku – Personal
- LB Carson Schwesinger – Quad, Ankle
As always, Cleveland’s list of injured players who are limited or full participants was long and extensive. We will have an update as practices continue this week, in the New Year.
