Browns Eyeing Reunion With Defender Ahead of Wild Card

Getty Images The Cleveland Browns worked out cornerback Herb Miller on Tuesday.

The Cleveland Browns brought in cornerback Herb Miller for a workout on Tuesday ahead of their Wild Card matchup against the Houston Texans.

Miller is a familiar face in Cleveland. He spent the last two seasons with the Browns, appearing in 13 games. He didn’t make much of a contribution on defense but played on over 60% of special teams snaps.

Miller spent training camp with the Carolina Panthers but was released before the start of the season. He was with the Buffalo Bills for the majority of this season on the practice squad. Miller was released on December 28

The Browns aren’t particularly banged up at cornerback, although Greg Newsome did not practice on Tuesday with a knee issue. Mike Ford was also limited with a calf injury. Miller could be getting looked at for depth and perhaps for a role on special teams.

As the Browns have learned this season with their laundry list of injuries, there’s no such thing as too much depth.

Browns Star Myles Garrett Misses Practice

Getty ImagesCleveland Browns star Myles Garrett missed practice on Tuesday due to a personal reason.

The Browns had an extensive injury report for Tuesday’s practice, which is a bit concerning with the most important game of the season coming up.

Notable players who did not practice include guard Joel Bitonio, wide receiver Amari Cooper, running back Kareem Hunt and safety Juan Thornhill.

Browns star Myles Garrett also missed practice due to a personal reason. The team did not give any further info on Garrett’s absence. However, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski backed his Pro Bowl pass-rusher for his growth as a leader.

“I think just with Myles, he’s very comfortable in his own skin. I think he can lead by example, and he does lead by example, both in the building and on game day. He can also be vocal,” Stefanski said. “He’s not afraid to speak up to his teammates and push them. Sometimes pick them up off the ground, those type of things. I think he’s grown in a bunch of different ways, but it’s sometimes hard to really put a finger on it.”

Garrett is the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with 14 sacks. Garrett was also Pro Football Focus’ top-graded defender for the regular season with a 93.6 grade.

Browns Kicker Dustin Hopkins ‘Unlikely’ to Face Texans

Getty ImagesCleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins is unlikely to suit up on Saturday against the Texans.

Despite the lengthy injury report, the Browns are expected to have most of their key pieces back on Saturday to face the Houston Texans. That being said, kicker Dustin Hopkins remains a significant question mark and his outlook is not great.

“I think it’s unlikely,” Stefanski said.

The team gave up just a seventh-round pick for Hopkins in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s been the most reliable kicker the team has had in over a decade. Hopkins hit 33 of his 36 field goal attempts in the regular season and is 8-for-8 from beyond 50 yards.

The Browns did get punter Corey Bojorquez last week after he missed one game with a quad injury.