Extra Points: Gipson racking up votes & what could've been for Browns?
More news and notes following Wednesday's Browns media availability:
Gipson Leads Pro Bowl: FS Tashaun Gipson currently is the leading vote getter for the Pro Bowl with five weeks left in the voting. Fans can vote at NFL.com. Gipson currently leads the NFL with six interceptions, but is questionable to play this week after suffering a concussion against the Bengals.
McDonald Practices: C Nick McDonald was practicing during the open media time at practice. McDonald sat out Tuesday with a calf injury. McDonald was listed on the pre-practice injury report with a calf injury. Pettine talked about McDonald before practice.
"If Nick can't go, we know we have (John) Greco to slide over, if we had to," Pettine said. "Ryan Seymour has taken the reps while Nick's not practicing."
Pettine said McDonald might just some rest early in the week.
"We'll know better today," Pettine said. "We didn't want to put him out there on the extra day (Tuesday). We'll see where he is today. He's logged enough practice and game reps that we might be better off to rest him early in the week, but make sure he's getting the mental reps. I think that will all clean itself as week goes on."
If Seymour starts, it would be the fourth different center to start for the Browns in the past month. Alex Mack broke his leg against the Steelers and Greco started the next game. McDonald has started the last three games at center.
Other players on the injury report were limited: McDonald (calf), WR Andrew Hawkins (thigh, knee) and DL Phil Taylor (knee). DB Johnson Bademosi (concussion), Cameron and Gipson did not practice.
Could've, Should've: The Texans selected DE J.J. Watt in the first round (11th overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft. That year, the Browns had the sixth-overall pick and they traded down with the Falcons and used the picks they received to eventually select DL Phil Taylor, QB Brandon Weeden, WR Greg Little and FB Owen Marecic. They also bypassed WR Julio Jones, who the Browns were rumored to be interested in, but the trade allowed the Falcons to select him.
