The morning started off fairly promising for the Cleveland Browns and cornerback Tyson Campbell, who has been going through some things injury-wise here in 2026. He started off last week as questionable with an ankle injury, but played through it in the Browns’ win over the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Campbell, though, suffered more injuries, to his hip and ankle, during that game when he collided with a teammate while defending a pass in the fourth quarter. He did not return to action after the Browns-Bucs two-hour weather delay.
Campbell was a game-time decision on Sunday. Early on, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported, “The vibes looked good for CB Tyson Campbell (ankle) after his pre-game workout. Inactives coming at 11:30. Grant Delpit (shoulder) will play.
But alas, when the inactives did come in, Campbell was listed, leaving the thin Browns secondary down their second-best player.
Wrote Cabot: ” The Browns will have to face one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL today without one of their starting cornerbacks in Tyson Campbell.
Browns to Start Mekhi Blackmon in Place of Tyson Campbell
It’s a pretty big drop-off for the Browns from Campbell, their No. 2 cornerback opposite Denzel Ward, to his replacement. The Browns have struggled to keep together depth in the secondary all through training camp, and cycled through several options during the summer.
Scott Petrak of the Akron Beacon-Journal noted that it will be a post-training camp waiver pick up who is starting in Campbell’s place–Mekhi Blackmon. Wrote Petrak: “Cornerback Tyson Campbell will be inactive because of the hip and ankle injuries that limited him in practice. Mekhi Blackmon will start in his place.”
Blackmon is a former third-round pick of the Vikings who has struggled to find a place in the league, bouncing from Minnesota to Indianapolis and now to Cleveland. he has 14 starts to his credit, and has allowed a quarterback rating of 83.7 when he is targeted.
The Panthers offense leads the NFL with 625 yards passing and six passing touchdowns in the first two weeks.
Browns Get Bad News on Injured Star for Week 3