This week’s preseason games will easily be the most interesting of the month.
Starters will play into the third quarter, and there may even be a little gameplanning involved. The Browns won’t have the luxury, however, of seeing their real starters in the lineup.
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer notes that “at least” six starters will miss the game. (Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, guard Eric Steinbach, running back Brandon Jackson, safeties T.J. Ward and Usama Young and linebacker Chris Gocong.)
Josh Cribbs, Peyton Hillis, and Evan Moore could also be limited or out of the game. Massaquoi has been out so long, we’re not sure he has time to get his starting job back.
One bright spot for the Browns: second year running back Montario Hardesty will take snaps Thursday night for the first time since tearing his ACL last August. That’s good because Jackson is out indefinitely with a toe injury.