Browns To Activate CB Greedy Williams; Denzel Ward Out For Week 6
The Browns will be without their top cornerback on Sunday against the Patriots, but another starter at the position will make his season debut. The team announced on Friday that Greedy Williams will be activated from IR in advance of their Week 6 matchup. 
[RELATED: Browns Designate LB Jones For Return]
Williams missed the beginning of the season due to a hamstring injury. That added further to the ailments he has battled thus far in his career, and left the team shorthanded in the secondary. The former second-rounder missed one-quarter of his rookie campaign in 2019, then the entirety of the following season with a shoulder injury. His size and college pedigree, not to mention Cleveland’s current CB situation, could see him take on the large role he was expected to carry upon entry to the NFL.
“Everything has been crisp and clean,” Williams told reporters on the topic of his return. “Just out there making plays and re-establishing myself. I build that trust back with the team, and they see I’m ready. That’s all that matters.”
No. 1 cover man Denzel Ward has been ruled out with a concussion, after he exited the Browns’ Week 5 loss to the Chargers early. That will leave a significant hole in the team’s defense, as Ward has notched one interception (returned for a touchdown) and six pass breakups this season. Williams could immediately take on his perimeter duties, though the team will no doubt seek to ease him back into action. The Browns will also have Greg Newsome and Martin Emerson available as starters at corner.
They will not, however, have both elements of their starting pass-rush tandem. After returning to game action last week, Jadeveon Clowney will once again be sidelined in Week 6. That will mark the second missed contest this season for the veteran, although Myles Garrett was able to log a usual snap share in his return from a car accident last Sunday.
With a number of moving parts on their defense, the Browns will join New England in trying to improve to .500 on the campaign, while, in Williams’ case, looking to move past a plethora of injury concerns.
Deshaun Watson Hit With Another Lawsuit
11:50am: The NFL will monitor this lawsuit, according to spokesman Brian McCarthy (via Cabot). While McCarthy indicated Watson’s status is unchanged as of now, the prospect of additional punishment under the league’s personal conduct policy could be on the table.
8:58am: Deshaun Watson is facing another civil lawsuit from a woman alleging sexual misconduct during a massage therapy session. The woman accuses the then-Texans quarterback of pressuring her into oral sex during a December 2020 appointment, Claire Geary and Camryn Justice of News5Cleveland.com report.
This marks a 26th lawsuit filed against the Browns QB, who is midway through an 11-game suspension that came as a result of the dozens of lawsuits that emerged between March 2021 and June 2022. Watson, 27, entered the week with one outstanding lawsuit, which will be addressed — barring a settlement — in 2023. This latest matter may come up at that point as well.
The unnamed accuser, who is represented by attorney Anissah Nguyen, alleges Watson contacted her via Instagram and arranged an appointment at a Houstonian hotel room. Following a session in which the accuser claims Watson attempted to have sex with her and, per the lawsuit, pressured her into oral sex, he paid her $300 — more than double her usual massage rate — according to News5Cleveland. The accuser filed the lawsuit in Harris County (Texas).
Nguyen seeks to depose Watson this year, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Given the agreement Watson’s counsel and Tony Buzbee — the attorney for the other civil accusers — reached regarding Watson being deposed in-season, it would not surprise if a similar understanding pushed a Watson deposition in this case to 2023 as well.
Two grand juries, the first in Harris County, did not proceed with criminal charges against Watson last year, leading to the trade sweepstakes taking off. Jointly appointed disciplinary officer Sue Robinson subsequently ruled Watson committed nonviolent sexual assault, which led to the NFL appealing and pushing for a full-season suspension. An NFL-NFLPA settlement in August produced Watson’s 11-game suspension. Because this new civil suit alleges similar behavior and is from the timeframe as the others, Watson’s suspension is not expected to be impacted, Cabot and Dan Labbe of cleveland.com note.
The most recent Watson accuser’s suit states she is seeking “minimal compensatory damages” but indicates she has “suffered severe depression and anxiety” as a result of her encounter with Watson. As other suits against Watson alleged, this one accuses him of continually pressuring the accuser to “massage his private area.” While Watson settled with 23 accusers, the Texans settled with 30 women who alleged the former Houston starter committed sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault during massage therapy sessions. A June report indicated Watson saw at least 66 masseuses from fall 2019 to spring 2021. That report indicated Watson arranged for massage sessions at the Houstonian.
Watson, who has denied any wrongdoing amid this high volume of accusations, returned to the Browns’ facility this week. While his tone shifted from contrition back to defiance following the settlement, the recently traded passer is undergoing mandatory counseling during his suspension. Successfully navigating the treatment program will lead to Watson returning to Browns practice Nov. 14 and debuting for his new team in Week 13 in Houston.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Thomas Graham
- Released: DT David Moore
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/12/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Andre Baccellia, WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on IR: RB Jonathan Ward
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DE Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Miller Forristall
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LS Joe Fortunato, LB Jonathan Kongbo
Detroit lions
- Signed: WR Maurice Alexander
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Rashod Berry, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Calvin Munson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Jake Funk
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Duke Dawson
- Released: RB Jason Huntley
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Marlon Mack, K Samuel Sloman
- Released: QB Kurt Benkert
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Xavier Crawford
- Released: DE Jabari Zuniga
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Ulysees Gilbert, CB Quandre Mosely
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: K Matt Ammendola, S Chris Banjo
Chicago Bears
- Designated to return: OL Alex Leatherwood
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Thomas Graham Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Designated to return: RB Kylin Hill
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: TE Jordan Akins
- Placed on IR: DT Michael Dwumfour
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: DL Corey Peters
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DT Taylor Stallworth
- Waived: DE Benton Whitley
- Designated to return: CB Trent McDuffie
Miami Dolphins
- Designated to return: OT Austin Jackson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: RB Tevin Coleman
- Designated to return: LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: CB John Reid
Browns Designate LB Deion Jones For Return
The Browns made the rare move to trade for a player on injured reserve, but Deion Jones‘ status changed Wednesday morning. Cleveland designated the veteran linebacker for return.
Jones will be eligible to practice for his new team today. The former Pro Bowler is not yet on the Browns’ 53-man roster, but he is moving in that direction. The team could have him in uniform against the Patriots.
Were Jones not close to returning from his shoulder injury, it would not make much sense for the Browns to make this trade. So the six-year starter will likely be in position to be activated immediately. The Browns still have all eight of their IR-return activations remaining. Jones, 27, joins new teammate Greedy Williams in being designated for return.
Hovering as a trade candidate for months, Jones underwent shoulder surgery back in May. That paused the prospect of the Falcons trading him, but the team restructured his contract to make a move easier. Despite the Falcons taking Jones off their active/PUP list in late August, they stashed him on IR to start the year. The Browns swooped in three weeks ahead of the trade deadline.
The Browns lost veteran linebacker starter Anthony Walker for the season in Week 3 and have been gashed by two backfields since. The Falcons and Chargers each topped 200 rushing yards in their respective wins over the Browns. The latter outing — one that featured a 173-yard Austin Ekeler rushing day — prompted Cleveland to acquire Jones that night. The Browns added ex-Jones Falcons teammate Tyeler Davison, a seven-year defensive tackle, to their practice squad Tuesday. Cleveland can promote Davison to its active roster before Week 6 as well.
Drafted during the Dan Quinn–Thomas Dimitroff Falcons regime, Jones became an instant starter. He played a key role in helping Atlanta to Super Bowl LI and earned a big-ticket extension in 2019. Jones remains tied to that deal, which runs through the 2023 season. Although he adds to Atlanta’s bloated dead-money total, the LSU product — because of the late-summer restructure — checks in at just $1.74MM on Cleveland’s payroll. With that cap hit spiking to $13.2MM in 2023, this amounts to an audition season for Jones alongside Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in Cleveland. Walker’s deal expires at season’s end.
Jones’ 137 tackles last season were one shy of his career-high total. Nevertheless, the Terry Fontenot–Arthur Smith regime made it known his 2022 status with the team was tenuous. The Falcons signed former Dean Pees charge Rashaan Evans and selected Troy Andersen in Round 2. Jones has five 100-plus-tackle seasons and has five career pick-sixes. Only Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks, Bobby Bell and ex-Brown Karlos Dansby have more among linebackers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR: LB Julian Stanford
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: LB Matt Adams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DE Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Thomas Graham
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OLB Jonathan Kongbo
Houston Texans
- Released from IR: DB Kendall Sheffield
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: OL Ben Bartch, LB K’Lavon Chaisson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: WR Albert Wilson
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: RB Jake Funk
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed of Titans practice squad: DB Theo Jackson
- Placed on IR: RB Ty Chandler
New England Patriots
- Waived: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: DT D.J. Davidson
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: RB Marlon Mack
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Xavier Crawford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: LB Genard Avery
- Released from IR: RB Kenjon Barner
Browns To Sign DT Tyeler Davison
Not long after trading for Deion Jones, the Browns are adding another former Falcons defensive starter. Tyeler Davison is joining Cleveland’s practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Although Davison will begin his Browns run on their P-squad, the team plans to promote the veteran starter soon. Davison, who has started 86 games with the Falcons and Saints from 2015-21, has not been with a team since his Atlanta release in March. The Colts auditioned Jones on Monday, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star tweets.
These Atlanta imports will arrive after Austin Ekeler shredded the Browns’ defense for 173 rushing yards in Week 5. A week earlier, the largely Cordarrelle Patterson-less Falcons used the ground game to hand the Browns a loss. Cleveland now ranks 28th against the run. The team lost second-year linebacker starter Anthony Walker against the Steelers in Week 3 and did not do much to add help at its needy defensive tackle spot this offseason, despite holding the NFL’s most cap space for months.
Davison, 30, will not eat into Cleveland’s cap room much, and he is a bit removed from his best seasons. Pro Football Focus viewed Davison as a plus run-stopper during the late 2010s but was not especially high on the veteran’s work during his final two Falcons seasons. Atlanta released Davison after decreasing his playing time last year. The 309-pound defender played 43% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2021. While it represented a slight playing-time reduction, it was nearly in line with his previous starter years in the NFC South.
The former Saints fifth-round pick signed a three-year, $12MM Falcons deal during Dan Quinn‘s time in Georgia. The Falcons were running a 4-3 scheme at that point; the Saints ran a 4-3 set during Davison’s four-season New Orleans run. The Browns use a 4-3 scheme and moved on from their two primary D-tackles from last season — Malik Jackson and Malik McDowell — in the offseason. Davison may not supplant starters Taven Bryan or Jordan Elliott immediately, but he should provide a decent depth piece for a defense that features proven performers at every other position.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Maxx Williams
- Released: WR C.J. Board
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Kobe Smith
- Released: DT Christopher Hinton
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: S Jared Mayden
- Released: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
Cleveland Browns
- Released: QB Josh Rosen
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Harvey Langi
- Released: TE Dominique Dafney
Houston Texans
- Signed: KC McDermott
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Tino Ellis, DT Jaylen Twyman
- Released: CB Chris Steele, DT Markaviest Bryant
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Robert Foster
Rosen’s short stint with the sixth NFL franchise of his career has come to an end, for now. Rosen joined the Browns in the offseason and battled with Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond for backup positions behind temporary starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett while Deshaun Watson fulfills his 11-game suspension. Rosen lost out to Dobbs and Mond, eventually signing on to Cleveland’s practice squad, where he’s stayed until now. Rosen will likely continue to search for a team that he fits with, since he does not have to clear waivers as a vested veteran. It may behoove him to contact two teams he has a history with as both San Francisco and Miami have suffered injuries in their quarterback rooms.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/22
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: DE Khalid Kareem
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: TE Miller Forristall
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Kendall Hinton
- Placed on IR: T Garett Bolles (story), CB Ronald Darby (story), LS Jacob Bobenmoyer (story)
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Maurice Alexander
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Elijah Lee, K Matthew Wright
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Curtis Bolton, CB Javelin Guidry
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR: LB Calvin Munson
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed off waivers (from Saints): RB Tony Jones Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: LB Kenny Young
Young continues to struggle to find a long-term home in the NFL. After Baltimore drafted him and traded him in his second year to the Rams, it took Young over a full season with the team to earn a starting role. When he was finally starting on a consistent basis, Los Angeles traded him once again to Denver where he started six straight games before being inactive for the remainder of the year. Young signed in the offseason with the Raiders but was released ahead of roster cut deadlines. He signed to the Buccaneers practice squad days before the season started and was active for the last four weeks, only playing on special teams. He’ll likely land on another practice squad somewhere in the league, perhaps with one of his former teams as both Baltimore and Los Angeles have experienced some injuries to their linebacker depth.