Cleveland Browns Week 5 Inactives vs. Washington Commanders

A duo of Browns offensive starters will return to the field against the Commanders on Sunday

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) turns up the field for yards after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

Injuries have seemingly ravaged the Cleveland Browns through the first four weeks of the season, but they finally got some positive injury news for Week 5.

Cleveland is slated to have starting left tackle Jedrick Wills and tight end David Njoku back for its matchup with the Commanders. News of the duos return came down upon the team’s release of its Week 5 inactive, which included:

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (emergency QB)
CB Kahlef Hailassie
LB Jordan Hicks
T James Hudson III
G Javion Cohen
T Jack Conklin
WR Jamari Thrash

Njoku’s return in particular comes at the perfect time for the 1-3 Browns. The offense currently ranks 27th in scoring and could use a spark like Njoku to come to is aid.

The Pro Bowl tight end has been out since suffering an ankle injury in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. He’s expected to have some limitations on Sunday but is certainly a welcomed sight in any capacity for Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the Wills is making his second start of the season after working his way back from a season-ending knee injury suffered late in the 2024 campaign. The 2020 first-round pick made a long-awaited return to the field in Week 3 against the Giants, but left that game after suffering a less severe knee injury. That ailment kep this out of the last two games.

Conklin was actually close to making a return to the field from a serious knee injury of his own two weeks back but suffered a set back in the form of a hamstring injury on the final day of practice. And was not able to play against New York. Now he'll wait even longer to play his first game in over a year.

The Commanders inactives revealed some good news as well, as running back Brian Robinson Jr., who had been nursing a knee injury all week, is officially active. Their list of inactives include:

QB Sam Hartman
QB Jeff Driskel (emergency QB)
S Tyler Owens
LB Dominique Hampton
G Chris Paul
WR Noah Brown
DE Clelin Ferrell