Browns DT Mason Graham Ruled Out for Week 6 Clash Against Ravens
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham will miss his second straight game with MCL and ankle sprains, giving Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley a massive break in their Week 6 matchup.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 1 min read
Finding live odds…
The Cleveland Browns are officially putting their defensive engine in the garage for another Sunday. Defensive tackle Mason Graham is not expected to suit up for today's Week 6 divisional rock fight against the Baltimore Ravens, according to Adam Schefter.
Graham was slapped with the questionable tag all week, which in modern NFL parlance usually means a guy is either perfectly fine or his leg is currently detached. In this case, the MCL and ankle sprains he picked up in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers are still barking loud enough to keep him in street clothes.
"Adam Schefter reported Graham is not expected to play despite carrying a questionable tag into the weekend."
Losing Graham is a brutal mathematical reality for Cleveland. Through his first four games, the 315-pound wrecking ball racked up four sacks, 15 tackles, and six tackles for loss. Those four sacks do not just lead the Browns, they had him tied for third in the entire league before his knee decided to stop cooperating.
This is the exact kind of inactive news that forces sportsbooks to quietly adjust their lines while everyone else is eating pregame eggs. The Ravens are already rolling into Cleveland without Lamar Jackson, who is sitting out with his own ankle issue.
That leaves Tyler Huntley steering the ship for Baltimore. Huntley is a capable backup, but his Sunday just got exponentially easier knowing he does not have to spend three hours running away from a guy who treats interior offensive linemen like turnstiles.
Cleveland already felt the sting of life without Graham last week, dropping an ugly 17-12 game to the New York Jets. Head coach Todd Monken can talk all he wants about guys being wired the right way and playing hurt, but grit does not magically regenerate knee ligaments.
The Browns are calling Graham week-to-week, which is the medical equivalent of a shrug. Until he gets back on the field, Cleveland has to figure out how to generate a pass rush without the one guy who was actually doing it.
Key stats
Key stats4 sacks, 15 tackles, and 6 tackles for loss in his first 4 games
Tied for 3rd in the NFL in sacks before his injury
Browns lost 17-12 to the Jets in Week 5 without Graham
What's next
Graham remains week-to-week, and the Browns will need to manufacture a pass rush internally until their star defensive tackle is cleared to return.
