Browns’ Beckham still being held out
Odell Beckham Jr. remains lined up outside — way outside.
The polarizing wide receiver was excused from practice for the second straight day on Thursday as the Cleveland Browns figure out their next move with him, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The team hasn’t reached a conclusion yet on what to do with Beckham, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
And while Cleveland’s front office works on a solution, some Browns players expressed a willingness to bring Beckham back.
“Hopefully we can get him back if that’s possible, that’s just my opinion on it,” said safety John Johnson III. “I feel like the majority of this locker room would love to have him in this building. Flat out.”
Browns left guard Joel Bitonio, one of the team’s most respected players and leaders, said there is confusion on the situation.
“Yeah, it’s hard because we don’t know what the situation is,” he said. “We think he’s a great player when he’s on the field, but we don’t know what the situation is. We don’t know what’s really going on.”
CARDINALS’ MURRAY OUT OF PRACTICE AGAIN >> Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t practice for a second straight day because of an injured ankle, casting doubt on his status for the team’s upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Murray hurt his left ankle on the final drive of Arizona’s 24-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday, which was the team’s first loss of the season.
“Just taking it one day at a time,” Murray said on Wednesday. “Not really putting anything on it, just like I said, taking it one day at a time and seeing where it goes.”
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said Murray could play on Sunday even if hasn’t practiced up until that point.
TAYLOR WILL START AT QB FOR TEXANS >> Last season Tyrod Taylor started one game for the Chargers before being sidelined when a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung when giving a painkilling injection for a rib injury. By the time he recovered he’d lost his job to Justin Herbert, who became the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
After being injured again this season with the Texans and having rookie Davis Mills take over for him for the past six games, some wondered if Taylor would suffer the same fate in Houston.
Instead, coach David Culley stuck to his word that he’d get his job back when healthy and Taylor will start Sunday against Miami. Culley said that Taylor gives the Texans their best chance to win.
“Coach said that I would be the starter when healthy and thankfully that he stood by that,” Taylor said.