Amari Cooper will play for Cleveland Browns against Cincinnati Bengals
CINCINNATI — Amari Cooper will play for the Browns on Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Bengals despite dealing with a hip injury.
Cooper suffered the injury late in Thursday's practice. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver did not practice on Friday, and he was officially listed as questionable by the Browns on their game status report.
However, by late Saturday evening, Cooper was trending toward playing. He did a brief workout with an athletic trainer on the field about two-and-a-half hours before the game, a combination of stretches and some routes on air to test the hip.
Cooper's presence gives Deshaun Watson a big target to throw to in his second start as Browns quarterback. An eighth-year pro, Cooper has a team-high 61 catches and 832 yards and seven touchdowns.
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The last time the Browns played the Bengals, in Week 8 on Oct. 31 in Cleveland, Cooper had a season-high 131 yards on five catches and a touchdown. He's got 14 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns in three career games against Cincinnati.
The Browns' inactive list against the Bengals includes both new signees — receiver/return man Jaelon Darden and linebacker Reggie Ragland — as well as quarterback Kellen Mond, cornerback Greedy Williams, defensive end Chase Winovich, offensive tackle Chris Hubbard and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai.
Hayden Hurst is only Cincinnati Bengals player out due to injury
Tight end Hayden Hurst was the lone Bengals player to be inactive due to injury. Hurst, who had been ruled out on Friday, is dealing with a calf injury.
The other Cincinnati inactive players are: running back Chris Evans, offensive linemen D’Ante Smith and Jackson Carman, as well as DE Jeff Gunter.
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BROWNS INACTIVES:
#8 QB Kellen Mond
#16 WR Jaelon Darden
#19 LB Reggie Ragland
#26 CB Greedy Williams
#69 DE Chase Winovich
#74 T Chris Hubbard
#93 DT Tommy Togiai
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EXPECTED LINEUP CHANGES:
None
FLIPCARD CHANGES:
Elevated #48 S Mike Brown and #56 LB Tae Davis from practice squad
Add: #16 WR Jaelon Darden
Remove: #10 WR Anthony Schwartz
Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.
On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Amari Cooper active for Browns vs. Bengals game
