Texans Rookie Stars Remain Out Of Season Due To…

Ahead of their game against the Cleveland Browns, the Houston Texans were still without their two top three picks at practice on Thursday. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco is fine, set to play Sunday.

After only having a walkthrough on Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns had a normal practice on Thursday where a handful of players remain idle. The Houston Texans might be without their top two picks from this year’s draft as both were unable to practice again.

On Thursday, there were still no active players: safety Juan Thornhill (calf), linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (calf), guard Joel Bitonio (left), and edge Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (pec). Anthony Walker, the linebacker, joined them after suffering a knee injury. He was marked as limited on Wednesday, but since it was a walkthrough, it’s hard to say if he would have taken part if it had been regular procedure.Despite having a calf injury on his record, quarterback Joe Flacco was a full participant. Alex Van Pelt, the offensive coordinator, stated that it wouldn’t prevent Flacco from participating on Sunday. Despite their injuries, defensive end Myles Garrett (shoulder) and corner Denzel Ward (shoulder) participated fully.

The Houston Texans have not yet ruled quarterback C.J. Stroud out for Sunday, but they are preparing as if Case Keenum will be the starter. Their other top pick, edge rusher Will Anderson did not practice as he continues to deal with a high-ankle sprain. If Anderson cannot go, the Texans have a solid group of rushers. Jonathan Greenard is leading the team in sacks. They’ve recently added Derek Barnett and still have Jerry Hughes to come in and rush in obvious passing situations. Anderson is certainly a tremendous player, but the Texans have the personnel in place to cause problems if he’s unable to play.

Linebacker Blake Cashman has been unable to practice with a hamstring injury. One of their starting safeties, Jimmie Ward, is working his way through concussion protocol and may be on track to be cleared to play by Sunday.

Laremy Tunsil, the franchise tackle, was rested on Wednesday during practice. He’s expected to play. Shaq Mason, a right guard, is recovering from a calf injury.

Cleveland Browns News 12/21: Joe Flacco Beardless, Kevin Stefanski Hyped, and Case Keenum is Serious Business

We’re making progress now. There are multiple stories about Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco shaving off his beard in today’s OBR Daily Newswire. Personally, I think that stories about quarterbacks taking care of themselves rank among my favorite in the journalistic canon. These stories rank somewhere between “Cleveland Browns Win Super Bowl” and “Tight End Lost for the Season in Disasterous Fly-Fishing Incident.”

This is because a beard-shaving story generally means two things: (1) There’s enough positive interest in the Browns for reporters to care as to whether the Browns QB shaves his beard without resorting to snarky remarks about it, and (2) there’s not a horrifying gruesome injury or another awful story to dominate the headlines. Both of these are good things.

For those looking for the details, Flacco shaved off the beard, which was dangerously encroaching upon his neck and threatening a hair bridge between his nostrils and the rest of his body because “it was a mess.” So there you go.

Personally, I admire Flacco for shaving off a serviceable beard. If I could grow a decent beard, I’d parade that thing around and shelter woodland creatures in it. Unfortunately, my beard growth has two major issues. The first is that, per feedback from my wife, it “makes me look even fatter,” which is a bad thing, and the second is that it refuses to color coordinate with the rest of my face.

When I was younger, my beard would come in sort of red, clashing with my dull brown hair. Now, it comes in gray, giving away the secret of my advanced age, which most people can’t detect because the level of my social awkwardness corresponds closer to the age of fourteen. I’ve found being nerdy and awkward briefly distracts people I contact from my chronological age so that, assuming I escape social situations quickly enough, it simply leaves them confused.

On the other end of the spectrum, Flacco has not only grown a beard but has also been hailed as a hero for his mature composure and manner both in the huddle and outside of it. The Cleveland Browns needed this leadership immediately after #47’s season-ending injury put their 2023 campaign in jeopardy.

Regarding Texans quarterback Case Keenum, who is expected to be the signal caller when the team plays on Sunday, the Browns are praising him in all the right ways. Head coach of the Browns, Kevin Stefanski, is quite familiar with Keenum. A few years ago, he assisted him in leading the Vikings deep into the playoffs, and during the Baker Mayfield era, he brought him in, presumably as a sideline decoration. Keenum’s abilities appear to have been Stefanski’s focus, as the Browns are all singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to recognizing the threat he poses.

Flacco, incidentally, reported having a lower calf problem yesterday in the “projected” practice report. To what extent he would have contributed is unknown because the Browns did not practice. We’re told there’s no real concern that it will prevent him from playing on Sunday, despite some of the headlines below trying to manipulate the situation. When Fred Greetham checks in or reports on YouTube later today, he will let you know if anything changes while he is in Berea.