Cleveland Browns dodged a bullet already that’ll have the coaching staff smiling entering second week of preseason
The Browns have a potential hidden gem that’s tracking to make their 53-man roster. Cleveland’s latest update on an injury he suffered sounds promising.
The Cleveland Browns dropped their first preseason game to the Chicago Bears by a score of 34-10, but the final score matters far less than what was seen during the game.
One worry coming out of the contest involved undrafted free agent cornerback Michael Coats Jr., who left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter.
The good news is that Cleveland didn’t suffer any serious injuries against Chicago, and Coats could return to action before the week is out.
“(Nate) Evans, I think, is going to be fine,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said Sunday. “Coats, I think we’ll hopefully have him back sometime this week. He felt okay this morning, and we’ll know a little bit more this afternoon on Bates, Brendan Bates.”
We’ve been pretty lucky, knock on wood, through camp we really haven’t lost anybody yet long, long-term, like for the year. We haven’t had any major injury, but we’ve had some nicks and bruises and other things that keep you out, some muscle issues, but we’re fine.”
Michael Coats Jr. has flashed throughout camp for the Browns
Coats has been a player who has flashed some solid cornerback play for the Browns during training camp, even dating back to OTAs. That solid play turned into results against the Bears, as the West Virginia product recorded one pass breakup, one interception, and a pair of tackles. The interception was the Browns’ only forced turnover in the game.
It’s encouraging news that Coats could return by the end of the week and potentially play against the Buffalo Bills in Saturday’s preseason game at home. For a player trying to make the roster as an undrafted free agent, every rep counts.
The Browns need cornerback depth behind Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, who are the only proven players at the position. Cleveland is likely to keep Myles Harden around, and he could very well be their starting slot cornerback. Coats is a player who can play behind Harden and potentially push him for that spot down the road.
At 5-foot-9, 184 pounds, Coats projects as a slot cornerback in Cleveland’s defense, though he does play bigger than his listed size. He has a legitimate shot at making this roster as an undrafted free agent, and the coming weeks will tell us whether he can keep building on what’s been a strong start to camp.
