Camp thoughts Vol. IV

 

What in the world is going on in Berea? Players are falling like pins in a bowling alley during the early stages of training camp.

 

Browns’ training camp 2020 is turning into a mini M*A*S*H unit.

 

Monday, it was Nick Chubb, whose helmeted head hit the ground after a hard tackle, causing an immediate trip to concussion protocol. Label return of the running back uncertain.

 

Tuesday, it was Mack Wilson’s turn. The young inside linebacker, who caused Chubb’s injury, damaged his left knee defending a pass. Diagnosis: Significant hyperextension of the knee. Prognosis: A lot grimmer than Chubb.

 

The injury trend continued Wednesday when cornerback Kevin Johnson went down, again defending a pass. He and rookie tight end Harrison Bryant, the intended receiver, dove for the football and fell to the ground simultaneously. Bryant landed on top of Johnson, lacerating the corner’s liver.

 

Now I’m not a doctor, but I do know a lacerated liver is serious. Anything involving the liver is serious. As a precaution, Johnson was hospitalized for a couple of days. Prognosis: Unknown, but leaning grim.

 

Johnson, a five-year veteran who has had an injury-riddled career, signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Browns during the offseason and was having a good camp.

 

On Thursday, no one, at least that we know of, got hurt seriously enough to cause alarm and warrant a story. Definitely cause for a celebration.

 

All three men figure prominently in the Browns’ plans this season. Right now, though, it looks as if Chubb might be the only one to escape missing a significant amount of time.

 

The Browns’ offense is rich enough from a talent perspective to overcome injuries. Not so with the defense. The weaker side of the football can ill afford injuries that last longer than a game or two.

 

So are the Browns out of shape? Hard to tell at this point. Too much too soon after a layoff of about eight months, perhaps, with no OTAs or minicamps? Ditto.

 

Just plain dumb luck? That’s a much better guess. All three injuries were sustained making football plays, as opposed to soft tissue injuries without contact.

Now let’s see what Friday brings.