Short weeks are the toughest test of depth in the NFL. Players have only a few days to recover from Sunday’s bumps and bruises, and teams have very little time to prepare backups for bigger roles. Thursday night games often come down to which roster handles that turnaround better. Cleveland will have to navigate a few key absences when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town.
Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan shared the final injury report, and 3 Browns players have been ruled out.
The Browns have ruled out center Elgton Jenkins, guard Teven Jenkins and receiver Tylan Wallace. Elgton Jenkins did not practice all week while in the concussion protocol, Teven Jenkins was limited by a back injury, and Wallace sat out every session with a knee issue.
“Final #Steelers at #Browns injury report for Thursday night football,” Ruiter wrote.
Final #Steelers at #Browns injury report for Thursday night football pic.twitter.com/2yysE8Uz6h
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) September 30, 2026
The biggest loss is at center. Jenkins has anchored a line that features 5 new starters, and his absence means Luke Wypler is likely to step into the lineup.
Wypler, a 2023 6th-round pick out of Ohio State, knows the offense, but replacing the player responsible for making protection calls is never easy. This line has already struggled with communication, and Todd Monken spent his postgame press conference on Sunday calling out the false starts and illegal formations that kept stalling drives.
The snap exchange with Deshaun Watson and the chemistry between Wypler and the guards beside him, Zion Johnson and rookie Austin Barber, will be worth watching early.
Teven Jenkins being out has less of an immediate impact. Barber has held the starting right guard job all season and has allowed just 1 pressure in 69 pass-blocking snaps, but losing Jenkins does thin out the depth if anything else goes wrong up front.
Wallace’s absence affects the receiver rotation and special teams. He was listed behind Jerry Jeudy on the depth chart, which could open the door for more snaps for Isaiah Bond or Malachi Corley.
There was good news elsewhere on the report. Right tackle Tytus Howard and safety Grant Delpit were both limited early in the week but practiced fully on Wednesday and carry no game status.
The Steelers have their own concerns. Running back Rico Dowdle has been ruled out with a toe injury, while cornerback Jalen Ramsey is questionable with a wrist injury. Pittsburgh also has a 2nd cornerback listed as questionable after dealing with a concussion.
Those secondary issues could create opportunities for Denzel Boston, who has averaged 21.7 yards per catch this season.
Still, all eyes will be on the middle of Cleveland’s offensive line. The Browns are 2-1 and tied for first in the AFC North, and keeping Watson clean with a new center in place may decide whether they can extend their Thursday night dominance over Pittsburgh.
NEXT: Deshaun Watson's Turnaround May Come From One Offseason Move
