Graham knee injury not believed to be significant

“The MRI revealed some good news,” per Rapoport, who added that the hope is these are not long-term injuries for the second-year lineman. While Graham does have two injuries he will need to work his way back from, it’s fair to say this is an encouraging sign after he was seen on crutches and sporting a knee brace after Week 4’s win over the Steelers. If Graham is placed on injured reserve, he would be required to miss at least the next four games. He has totaled 15 tackles, six TFLs, and four sacks thus far for the Browns in what is shaping up to be a breakout season for the former No. 5 overall pick.

Graham’s boot, on his right foot, obviously prevented him from practicing. There’s still plenty of time ahead of training camp, so there’s not a real reason for concern for his season yet barring more dire details emerging. Still, it’s not great news for a player that dealt with knee and rib issues last year.

Graham was limited on Friday, but didn’t practice on either Wednesday or Thursday. He did play through the injury in Week 14 against the Titans. The rookie No. 5 overall pick has a 68.8 PFF defensive grade in 572 snaps this year.

Graham was listed as questionable after being added to the injury report in the middle of the week. He appears to be good to go now. Graham has five TFLs and .5 sacks this year. The rookie will look to get on board with his first solo sack of the year against fellow top-five pick Cam Ward.

Graham popped up on Thursday as a limited participant and will officially be questionable heading into the weekend. The rookie tackle has totaled 31 tackles, five TFLs, and a half sack while helping anchor a Browns line that has been stout up front. Speaking with the media after practice, Graham said he expects to play on Sunday.

Conklin suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to the Steelers. Regardless of his game designation, whether or not Conklin has a chance to suit up depends primarily on whether or not he clears concussion protocol. Backup tackle KT Leveston would likely draw the start in place of Conklin if he is unable to go. In addition to Conklin, the Browns also listed DT Mason Graham (knee), DT Mike Hall (knee), WR Gage Larvadain (concussion), and LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (hip) as questionable for Week 7.

Graham will get, per Ian Rapoport, a fully-guaranteed $40,874,191 on his contract. He’ll slide right into the middle of the Browns defensive line rotation instantly as a replacement for Dalvin Tomlinson. Graham is a high-floor prospect who should be counted on to help control the interior for Cleveland in 2025.

After securing a picks cache for trading down from No. 2 overall, the Browns went meat and potatoes for what is still their highest pick since 2018. A certified havoc engine on Michigan’s defensive front, Graham (6’3/318) evolved into one of the most disruptive interior presences in college football. With a burly build and a wrestling background that shows up in his elite leverage and balance, Graham logged a stellar 91.1 overall PFF grade in 2024, bolstered by a jaw-dropping 92.6 run defense grade. He’s the rare DT who consistently wins early in reps, leveraging his 81.1 pass rush grade with violent, accurate hands and an elite first step that slingshots him past lateral blocks. Despite lacking prototypical length, Graham compensates with a nonstop motor, lateral twitch, and a nose for the football. He logged 30 defensive stops and 20 hurries in 2024, showing disruptive consistency whether aligned in three tech or shading out to five tech. His ability to two-gap and stack versus power run schemes is already NFL-caliber, as evidenced by his standout play against Texas. Graham is a film junkie who routinely diagnoses screens and play-action, evident in his instinctive recognition and pursuit. However, his modest sack production (3.5 in 2024) underscores his limitations in length and closing burst on longer-developing plays. He projects as an immediate starter for even-front schemes seeking a high-floor, high-effort penetrator. While Graham may never lead your team in sacks, he’ll anchor your line with blue-collar toughness, technical refinement, and violent trench play.

Dulac added that defensive tackle prospects Mason Graham, Walter Nolen, Derrick Harmon and Kenneth Grant sit atop the Steelers’ draft board. Pittsburgh has reportedly offered Aaron Rodgers a one-year deal and are “willing to wait” for his decision, at least for now. Dulac notes that the Steelers “are still spooked by the whole Kenny Pickett evaluation,” adding that “they took the best quarterback in a very average draft class, and I don’t think they want to make that mistake again.” Per Dulac, both Dart and Sanders will be “in the conversation” for the Steelers, if their preferred defensive linemen prospects are gone, but the pecking order is believed to be “defensive line, running back, wide receiver and quarterback, and you throw a cornerback in there somewhere.” Dulac firmly believes that the Steelers are “all in” on trading up for a “marquee” quarterback prospect in 2026, if nothing pans out this year.

Regarded by many as the top defensive tackle in this year’s draft, Graham will meet with both the Browns and Raiders this week as he makes his rounds with potential landing spots. The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, which is currently the only first-round pick in their possession. It’s highly unlikely they would use that top pick on Graham, but the Raiders, who hold the No. 6 overall pick, could be more realistic suitors for the highly decorated Michigan man. Graham was a unanimous All-American last season and earned second-team All-American honors in 2023. In three seasons at Michigan, he totaled 108 tackles, nine sacks, and 18 TFLs. Wherever he lands, he should hear his name called very early on draft day.