Cornelius Lucas exited Cleveland’s preseason tilt with Philadelphia in the second quarter after an ankle injury, testing the joint on the sideline before heading to the locker room. Undrafted rookie Jason Ivey replaced him, giving the Browns a crucial look at depth on the offensive line in a game that carries significance beyond August.
Lucas, a 12-year veteran signed to a two-year deal, is a mammoth 6-foot-9 addition backing Dawand Jones. With most starters on expiring contracts, Cleveland has poured resources into the line to prepare for next year. Ivey’s performance will determine how quickly the Browns rely on youth and how Jones develops as the lone long-term anchor, shaping the team’s depth chart for 2025.
The injury emphasizes Cleveland’s priority: identify reliable reserves behind Jones while continuing to groom a young, flexible line. If Ivey can hold his own, the Browns could rotate depth pieces and preserve Jones’s development timeline, influencing both real-world line protection and fantasy considerations for Browns’ back-end blockers in deeper formats.
