Browns' Tytus Howard Could Still Play Sunday Despite Missing Practice

The Cleveland Browns will know more about Tytus Howard on Saturday. Their starting right tackle missed all three practices in the concussion protocol and is questionable for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh, but Browns coach Todd Monken held out hope Howard could practice Saturday, clear the protocol, and start.

Howard left last Sunday's win at Tennessee in the third quarter. Dawand Jones has spent the week getting ready to line up across from T.J. Watt.

Two others join Howard as questionable: nickelback Myles Harden, who hurt his hamstring in the third quarter at Tennessee and kept playing, and safety Daniel Thomas, who has an ankle injury. It kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

Jones has been on the field-goal unit every game this season. He also came off the bench for 33 offensive snaps against the New York Jets, when Howard hurt his knee, and 25 more at Tennessee.

"There's no substitution for reps," Monken said. "That's what we tried to do in the offseason with all of our young players, and I still think he's a young player, is get as many reps as we can. You've got to get on the field, and all the reps that he got are paying off."

Cleveland ran for a season-high 183 yards in the win at Tennessee.

Howard spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Houston Texans. Cleveland traded for him in March and signed him to a three-year, $63 million extension.

Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. has no designation and is set to play for the first time since spraining his ankle in the Week 4 game against Pittsburgh. He was carted to the locker room that day, then came back to finish the 27-24 win.

"What I remember most is him coming back, from being knocked out and then coming back, wanting to be with his teammates and finishing the game," Monken explained. "It says a lot that he came back to play. When you consider he's been out since then, I think that says a lot more about him and how he's wired."

Center Elgton Jenkins and edge rusher Jared Verse each missed Wednesday's practice with a knee injury. Neither received a game status Friday.

Safety Grant Delpit (neck), rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham (ankle), and linebacker Carson Schwesinger (ankle) were limited at the start of the week and are not listed as questionable either.

Both teams are 5-2. Cleveland holds first place in the AFC North and keeps it with a win.

Cleveland won the Week 4 meeting. Its defense sacked Aaron Rodgers five times and intercepted him twice.

A second win would give the Browns their first season sweep of the Steelers since 1988. They have not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003. Sunday will be just the fifth Browns-Steelers game since 1999 with both teams holding winning records.

Shedeur Sanders is the No. 2 quarterback, Monken said Friday.

"Plans for Dillon Gabriel? I don't even know yet," Monken said.

The Steelers ruled out cornerback Brandin Echols and defensive back Doneiko Slaughter with hamstring injuries. Wide receiver Ben Skowronek is questionable with a calf injury.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey has no designation after practicing fully Thursday and Friday. He broke his wrist in Week 3 and has played through it. Edge rusher Alex Highsmith also has no designation after practicing fully Friday on a groin injury, and T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward took only a Wednesday rest day.