The Browns have made a change at quarterback, but it’s not the one many people have been calling for them to make.
Jameis Winston is on the inactive list as the emergency quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Bengals. It is the first time that Winston has been inactive this season and the first time that Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been active as the backup to Deshaun Watson.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has been asked on a weekly basis whether he will make a quarterback change and he’s been steadfast in saying Watson will remain the starter. Winston’s experience as a starter made him seem like a reasonable option to get a shot in place of the struggling starter, but that won’t be a possibility this Sunday.
Stefanski will get a chance to explain the change in pecking order after the game and another loss will likely lead to questions about moving Thompson-Robinson even higher up the depth chart.
Every week we bring you all the inactives from the 1 p.m. ET games in one post, constantly updated with the latest information.
Saturday brought word that the Titans will start Mason Rudolph at quarterback against the Bills and Sunday brought confirmation. Will Levis is inactive, which leaves Rudolph in the No. 1 role with Trevor Siemian up from the practice squad to serve as his backup.
Levis was listed as questionable with a right shoulder injury after being limited in practice this week. Levis hurt his shoulder in Week Four, but returned to start after a bye week and played all of last week’s loss to the Colts.
Another report indicated that Levis may miss multiple weeks as a result of the injury, but further information about his availability will have to wait until after Sunday’s game.
Titans at Bills
Titans: QB Will Levis, CB L’Jarius Sneed, T Leroy Watson, RB Tyjae Spears, TE David Martin-Robinson, DL Keondre Coburn, LB Caleb Murphy
Bills: OL Will Clapp, DT Zion Logue, LB Joe Andreessen, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, S Mike Edwards
Texans at Packers
Texans: LB Azeez Al-Shaair, G Nick Broeker, CB Kamari Lassiter, WR Steven Sims, LB Henry To’oTo’o, S Jimmie Ward, WR Robert Woods
Packers: DE Brenton Cox, TE John FitzPatrick, T Travis Glover, C Jacob Monk, S Kitan Oladapo, DT Devonte Wyatt
Eagles at Giants
Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert, G Trevor Keegan, OL Darian Kinnard, QB Tanner McKee, CB Eli Ricks, DT Byron Young
Giants: T Chris Hubbard, P Jamie Gillan, CB Adoree’ Jackson, S Anthony Johnson, LB Boogie Basham, QB Tommy DeVito
Lions at Vikings
Lions: G Kevin Zeitler, DL Isaiah Thomas, S Loren Strickland, WR Isaiah Williams, TE Parker Hesse, T Giovani Manu
Vikings: CB Akayleb Evans, CB Dwight McGlothern, RB Myles Gaskin, DL Levi Drake Rodriguez, LB Blake Cashman, T Walter Rouse, QB Brett Rypien
Seahawks at Falcons
Seahawks: CB Riq Woolen, CB Tre Brown, T Stone Forsythe, DT Cameron Young, DL Myles Adams, LB Trevis Gipson, OL Sataoa Laumea
Falcons: CB Antonio Hamilton, LB Troy Andersen, DL Brandon Dorlus, OL Jovaughn Gwyn, OL Elijah Wilkinson, OL Brandon Parker, DL Kentavius Street
Bengals at Browns
Bengals: WR Trenton Irwin, DE Cedric Johnson, OL Andrew Stueber, DT Lawrence Guy, TE Tanner McLachlan, DT Jay Tufele
Browns: QB Jameis Winston, CB Kahlef Hailassie, S Ronnie Hickman, RB Jerome Ford, LB Nathaniel Watson, DT Quinton Jefferson
Dolphins at Colts
Dolphins: QB Skylar Thompson, LB Emmanuel Ogbah, S Jevon Holland, RB Jeff Wilson, OL Andrew Meyer, CB Ethan Bonner, LB Channing Tindall
Colts: LB Genard Avery, QB Sam Ehlinger, WR Anthony Gould, CB Chris Lammons, C Danny Pinter, LB E.J. Speed, RB Jonathan Taylor
The Bengals will have cornerback DJ Ivey available for Sunday’s game against the Browns.
Ivey was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday. The 2023 seventh-round pick has been sidelined by a knee injury.
Ivey had three tackles and a fumble recovery in eight appearances as a rookie. He was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report and he was the only Bengals player to have a designation of any kind heading into Week Seven.
The Bengals also announced that they have elevated center Trey Hill from the practice squad. Hill has 24 games of experience, but has not appeared in a game since the 2022 season.
Running back Nick Chubb is officially back for the Browns.
The Browns activated Chubb from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday. Chubb has been out since suffering a major knee injury in Week Two of the 2023 season and he has been practicing with the team for the last couple of weeks.
Jerome Ford was ruled out on Friday, so Chubb will join D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong in the backfield against the Bengals on Sunday.
Safety Juan Thornhill was also activated on Saturday. Thornhill had nine tackles in the season opener, but went on injured reserve after hurting his calf.
The Browns rounded out the day’s moves by elevating wide receiver Jaelon Darden from the practice squad.
The Bengals added a shin injury to Joe Burrow’s listing on their practice report, though Burrow has still been a full participant.
Via Ben Baby of ESPN, Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor said on Friday that Burrow was only experiencing shin soreness and it isn’t anything major.
Burrow has been on the injury report throughout the season with the right wrist issue that prematurely ended his 2023, listed as a full participant.
In six games this season, Burrow has completed 71.6 percent of his passes for 1,578 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Bengals have one player with an injury designation for Sunday’s game against the Browns. Defensive back D.J. Ivey, who’s returning from the physically unable to perform list, is questionable with a knee issue. He has been a full participant in practice all week.
Cornerback DJ Turner (ankle) and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (thumb) have no status and are set to play.
