Browns WR Slapped With Season-Ending Suspension Ahead of Rams Game
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Michael Woods II has been suspended for the final six games of the regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Woods is currently on the reserve/non-football injury list. He tore his Achilles in the offseason while working out with quarterback Deshaun Watson. He’ll be able to serve the suspension while out but won’t be paid for those six weeks.
The league did not give much detail on the suspension but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network said it stems from an incident over the summer.
The Browns originally drafted Woods in the sixth round of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma. He started 38 of 43 games in his collegiate career from 2018-21 and caught 118 passes for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Woods was expected to take on a larger role this season for the Browns prior to the injury. He played in 10 games during his rookie season in 2022, finishing the season with five receptions for 45 yards.
Neither Woods nor the team have issued a statement on the suspension. However, he recently sent a message on X, formerly Twitter, about his rough year.
“This year prolly been my toughest in my life, but I can’t be broken,” Woods wrote on Nov. 22. “This year is special for me because it brought me closer to God,
I changed my habits and thoughts for the better, and developed a higher level of perseverance through it all.”
Browns Lack Depth at Wide Receiver
It’s not too pretty behind Cooper on the depth chart. Newcomer Elijah Moore has been decent with 43 catches for 418 yards. However, he has just one touchdown and hasn’t created explosive plays in the passing game.
Rookie Cedric Tillman is the next most active wide receiver currently on the roster. He’s caught seven passes for 65 yards. The majority of that came in the Browns’ last game against the Denver Broncos. He snagged four catches for 55 yards.
Cooper is currently dealing with a rib injury but is expected to play against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
“I’ve said time and time again, doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you’re not available, then it’s like you’re not talented,” Cooper said on Thursday, November 30. “Just being able to be available for my team.
I always ask myself one question if I’m trying to determine whether or not I should try to push or play through an injury. I ask if this was the championship or Super Bowl, would I play? And if the answer is yes, then I play.”
Browns Have Battled Injuries at QB Position
The Browns’ passing game ranks No. 27 in the NFL, averaging just 181.2 yards per game. But that has been mostly due to the instability at the quarterback position. Watson played in just six games this season, struggling with shoulder injuries.
He missed all but one quarter of play during a four-game stretch earlier in the season. Watson returned but a broken bone in his shoulder against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 12 cost him the rest of the season.
PJ Walker and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson have both seen time as the starter this season but the Browns are turning to Joe Flacco on Sunday against the Rams. Flacco, 38, last started for the New York Jets but is expected to bring some much-needed veteran leadership to the role.
