BEREA, Ohio-- It's less than ideal, especially with the Browns coming off a historic comeback win and trying to keep the momentum going with the division rival Steelers coming to town in a key AFC North battle.
However, the Browns could be without their top cornerback and might be forced to use their first-round draft pick, who seems to be suffering from a lack of confidence as the Browns prepare to play the eighth-best passing team in the NFL.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine said Wednesday before practice he was "cautiously optimistic" that Pro Bowler Joe Haden would be able to play against the Steelers. Haden was on the stationary bike during the part of practice open to the media and listed as having limited participation as a result of a hip injury suffered last week against the Titans.
If Haden can't go, it is likely No. 1 draft pick Justin Gilbert will be inserted into Haden's role on the outside, even though undrafted rookie free agent K'Waun Williams has moved ahead of Gilbert as the third cornerback. Williams played the nickel cornerback against the Titans and Pettine said he's inclined to keep him there.
Pettine was asked on Monday what Gilbert has to do to get back on the field. He played just nine (13 percent) of the defensive snaps last week.
"Practice. Just keep getting after it in practice," Pettine said. "With Joe's status potentially up in the air, he might have to play, but we'll see. In the history of our system -- I spoke on this a long time ago -- I don't like having an outside corner have to slide back and forth. We wanted Buster (Skrine) to stay outside.
"(We) felt that K'Waun got a lot of quality reps in training camp (and) throughout the spring at the nickel, and he played extremely well," he said. "It's something that -- we haven't given up on Justin -- but it's something (where) he has some stuff he's just got to work through at practice and get the point where he can trust the coaching and trust his technique. We'll get him back out there."
Gilbert has 14 tackles with just one pass broken up.
In the season opener against the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger picked on Gilbert repeatedly as Markus Wheaton had a big game with six receptions for 97 yards, including the reception that set up Shawn Suisham's 41-yard field goal as time expired to give the Steelers the 30-27 win.
"(Gilbert's) had his issues and he's been picked on when he's been on the field," Pettine said. "There are a lot of things he needs to get right. But no one's bailing on him."
Pettine said the coaching staff still believes in Gilbert.
"It's important they know we have their back and still have to play important nobody is giving up on them," he said. "When (a player is) in a slump, (you) have to play your way out of it."
However, as much damage Wheaton did to the Browns, their biggest nemesis has been Antonio Brown, who was open throughout the first half and amassed 116 yards on five receptions, including a 35-yard touchdown.
Brown has had big games against Haden and the Browns in his career. However, Brown has not only hurt the Browns, he's hurt the league overall, with 34 receptions for 511 yards (15.0 avg.), including five touchdowns. The two-time Pro Bowl player is just in his fifth season after being a sixth-round draft choice in 2010.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn't think it's been as lop-sided as it might look.
"You know, I think Joe has had some success against Antonio as well," Tomlin said in a conference call with the Cleveland media Wednesday. "I just think they're two talented young guys who are big time competitors. Obviously, the matchup is an important one for both sides. It has a little intrigue to it."
Brown doesn't think Haden's production has dropped.
"He's still a highly competitive player," Brown said in a conference call Wednesday. "He's one of the best (cornerbacks) in press coverage."
Brown caught six passes for 92 yards and a touchdown and nine receptions for 87 yards last season against Cleveland but couldn't explain his success.
"I don't know the reason," he said.
Roethlisberger was 23-of-34 for 365 yards, including one touchdown and one interception, against the Browns in Week 1. Running back Le'Veon Bell had 21 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown against the Browns and has 460 yards on the season.
The Browns are ranked 28th against the pass, giving up an average of 269.3 yards a game through the air. Meanwhle, the Steelers are averaging 266.8 yards a game passing.
Besides the uncertainty with Haden, Skrine is expected to start opposite of Haden or Gilbert, but he was beaten for a 75-yard touchdown by Justin Hunter last week. Pettine was asked about Skrine's perceived bad game.
"I don't really have an explanation for that," Pettine said. "We talk about 'Play like a Brown' and he's that guy. I know the double move (by Hunter) is one he'd like to have back."
There's a good chance the Browns will be relying on a couple of undrafted rookies in Robert Nelson and Williams at cornerback over fourth-round pick Pierre Desir, who has been inactive for all four games.
"That's a credit to (Williams and Nelson)," Pettine said. "We're going to coach everybody the same once we get them in here.
"It's a function of the personnel staff, coaching staff (finding them)," he said. "They have a chip on their shoulders for not being drafted."
Williams was signed by the Browns after playing at Pitt where Browns secondary coach Jeff Hafley coached him in 2010. Williams played 36 plays last week (53 percent) and had six tackles and a key sack on the Titans' final possession. On the season, Williams has eight tackles, a sack and a pass broken up.
Nelson has been active for one game, but Pettine said either Gilbert or Nelson would play on the outside if Haden cannot play.
"K'waun is more of an inside (cornerback) where Nelson is more of an outside corner," Pettine said. "It doesn't matter to us how we acquire guys. We're confident they will be prepared to play.
"If they have to play, they have to play," Pettine said. "We talked to the team about the next man up."
Pettine said the problems in the secondary have been a variety of things.
"It's all different," he said. "Sometimes, it's eye discipline. That's sometimes tough when a guy on a double move, bad eyes, you get caught peeking. You get flat-footed. I think every situation was different. We'll look at all those and determine was it scheme? Was it technique or was it the level of talent.
"I think all those things are different. I don't think you can just broad stroke it and say, 'Hey, this is the one thing that we need to get corrected,' he said. "It would be great if it was and we could get one thing corrected, but it's a lot of little details."
Overall, Pettine said he still believes in the players he has in the secondary.
"I'm not down on that group because they want to get it right," he said. "There's nothing magical about it. Just put in the work and go out and do it. Consistency and take a lot of those minuses and put it into the positive side."
EXTRA POINTS
Special Tank: Browns LB Tank Carder has earned AFC Special Teams Players of the Week for games played Oct. 2-6 (Week 5), the National Football League announced Wednesday.
In a 29-28 win over the Titans Sunday, Carder blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter and added one special teams tackle that dropped the Titans at their own 11-yard line on the second half's opening kick.
Carder's fourth quarter play was the Browns' first blocked punt since Nov. 30, 2003 (at Seattle) and first safety since Nov. 22, 2009 (at Detroit).
Carder's efforts helped the Browns overcome a 28-3 deficit, the largest comeback victory by a road team in NFL history.
Carder also earned a game ball for his play.
"It wasn't just for the block," Pettine said. "Tank had a real nice tackle on a kickoff and blocked really well. He had one of his best games as a core-teamer for us."
This is the first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for Carder, who is the first Browns player to win the award since Travis Benjamin in Week 5 in 2013.
Taylor Out; Winn, Haden limited: Prior to practice, the Browns announced that DL Phil Taylor had arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
"Phil's going to miss some time with knee scope," Pettine said. "He'll be shut down for a couple weeks."
DL Billy Winn (quad), CB Joe Haden (hip) and OL Joe Thomas (rest) were limited at practice.
Pettine said that if Winn is unable to play, either DL John Hughes or DL Ishmaa'ily Kitchen would replace Taylor.
Kirksey Fined: Rookie LB Chris Kirksey was fined $8,268 for hitting QB Jake Locker last Sunday per ESPN.com. Locker left the game with a wrist injury and did not return.
Still Leading: The Browns are leading the NFL in fewest turnovers with just one for the season. The Browns have taken the ball away four times for a +3 turnover ratio, which is ninth best in the NFL.
Practice Squad Move: General Manager Ray Farmer announced Wednesday the team had signed OL Braxston Cave to the practice squad. Cave is 6-3, 305 pounds and officially in his first NFL season out of Notre Dame. Cave originally signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and was waived during final roster cuts. He spent all of last season on the Patriots' practice squad and spent four weeks on the Redskins' practice squad this year. He fills the Browns' open practice squad slot that became available after the Seattle Seahawks signed OL Patrick Lewis to their active roster.
