Haden, Whitner, among six Browns declared out
If the Cleveland Browns are going to pull an upset in Cincinnati on Thursday night, they're going to have to do it without some of their more important players.
Already without starting quarterback Josh McCown, the Browns will also be without one-half of their starting secondary as both cornerback Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner are dealing with concussions. Whitner's backup, Jordan Poyer, is also out with a shoulder injury, leaving rookie safety Ibraheim Campbell to make his first NFL start.
Receivers Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins won't dress as well as they both remain in the concussion protocol, meaning the catch-less Dwayne Bowe will likely get his first extended look of the season.
A third member of the Browns' starting secondary, Tashaun Gipson, has also been hampered by an ankle injury. He's expected to play despite being labeled as questionable, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
#Browns S Tashaun Gipson (ankle) is questionable for tonight vs #Bengals, but I'm told he's going to play. He's the leader in the secondary
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2015