Stefanski rules Beckham Jr. out vs. Texans

There will be no “Will he or won’t he?” suspense about Odell Beckham Jr.’s playing status this week, because Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has already decided Beckham won’t play against the Texans on Sept. 19.

Beckham was listed as questionable for the season opener in Kansas City Sept. 12. The 28-year-old receiver participated in pregame warmups at Arrowhead Stadium, but when they ended his name was added to the inactive list because he and the medical staff determined his surgically repaired knee wasn’t ready for the rigors of a full game.

“I’m going to hold Odell out this week,” Stefanski said before practice Sept. 15. “I just felt like that was the right thing to do. Last week, I felt we had a good plan. He was close, working very hard on the side. But I just felt like it made more sense to have clarity early in the week from a game-planning, practice standpoint. So that’s the plan for this week.”

Beckham has had no setbacks from surgery last Nov. 10 to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, Stefanski said.

Beckham practiced Sept. 15 on a limited basis.

The Browns are deep at wide receiver with rookie Anthony Schwartz and Rashard Higgins behind starters Jarvis Landry and Donovan Peoples-Jones.

“He’s pushing to get there,” Stefanski said. “We just didn’t feel like he could play a significant number of snaps. I just felt like for this week, the prudent thing to do was let these other guys get all those reps, although they got a bunch last week. Let’s game-plan accordingly and then we’ll update you guys as we get into next week.”

Landry had a team-high five catches against the

Chiefs. Schwartz caught three passes for 69 yards. Peoples-Jones caught one pass for four yards. Higgins was on the field for only four snaps and did not have a pass thrown in his direction.

Tackle troubles Center JC Tretter (knee), right tackle Jack Conklin (knee), left tackle Jedrick Wills (ankle), defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (illness) and offensive lineman Chris Hubbard (triceps) did not practice Sept. 15.

Veterans Tretter and Conklin getting Wednesday off is normal as it would be if they are still on the injury report Sept. 16. Wills is “day to day” with the injury suffered in the first half against the Chiefs. He was taken to the locker room in Arrowhead Stadium on the

back of an equipment cart and rode the exercise bike during practice Sept. 15.

Hubbard’s injury was suffered during the game with the Chiefs after taking over at left tackle when Wills was injured.

“That’s new from the game,” Stefanski said. “That’s something we’re going to have to monitor as the week goes on.”

Rookie James Hudson III would be the left tackle if Wills and Hubbard are both out for the Houston game. Like a Browns reunion The roster of the Houston Texans is peppered with several former Browns players — tight end Pharaoh Brown, a graduate of Brush High School; linebacker Christian Kirksey, a third-round pick in 2014 who played six seasons with

the Browns; quarterback Tyrod Taylor; cornerback Terrance Mitchell; cornerback Tavierre Thomas; defensive tackle Vincent Taylor, offensive lineman Justin McCray and defensive back Eric Murray.

“It is (weird), but I guess that’s how the NFL goes,” Browns running back Nick Chubb said. “It’s part of the business. It’s my first time actually seeing it happen like that — guys I played with being across from me on the other team.

“I’m excited to see some of the guys and play against them, too. We have a great challenge ahead of us.”

Tyrod Taylor and Brown start for the Texans on offense. Vincent Taylor, Kirksey, Mitchell and Murray start on the Houston defense.