Coach Romeo Crennel is mending his secondary with Ray Mickens and Michael Lehan
while left cornerback Daylon McCutcheon recovers from a bruised abdomen.
McCutcheon was hurt in the first quarter in the game against the Steelers last
week and was taken from the field on a backboard.
McCutcheon practiced Wednesday. He hopes to play against the Dolphins, but the
Browns are prepared in case he cannot. On Wednesday they signed cornerback James
Thornton to the practice squad as insurance.
Mickens had been the nickel back. Lehan didn't play much in the secondary until
injuries piled up.
Whoever lines up at left corner will be matched against Miami's Chris Chambers,
who leads the Dolphins with 36 catches and five touchdowns. Chambers is
5-foot-11. Mickens is 5-foot-8 and McCutcheon 5-foot-10, so size won't be a
major issue. Lehan is the tallest of the bunch at 6 feet.
Mickens played nine seasons with the Jets. They released him in training camp
after signing Ty Law. The Browns signed Mickens on Aug. 18, when they started
running short on healthy cornerbacks. Mickens knows the Dolphins better than any
player on the Browns roster, having played in the same division as Miami for
nine seasons.
"If Daylon can't go, then we'll roll," Mickens said Wednesday. "We'll be all
right. We have some talent here. People are going to get hurt. You have to make
adjustments and be prepared.
"Right now we're just looking to get better and play our best game of the season
against Miami."
The Browns have been relatively healthy this season, but cornerback has been hit
hard. McCutcheon missed most of training camp because of headaches. Starting
right cornerback Gary Baxter is already on injured reserve recovering from
pectoral surgery. Leigh Bodden started the last three games at right corner and
will start against the Dolphins.