10:44am: The Browns have confirmed the injury, and the team is not expecting — as of now — a late-season return to commence. A Browns statement indicated Woods is likely to miss all of the 2023 season.
8:59am: Although OTAs have not yet begun, the Browns’ receiving corps sustained a setback. Second-year wideout Michael Woods suffered a torn Achilles during an independent workout, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
The injury occurred during a recent workout with Deshaun Watson in Texas, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, who initially reported the team feared this significant injury (Twitter link). This will threaten to end Woods’ season months before it would have begun, though it occurring at this juncture of the offseason opens the door to a return later in the year. Watson has been hosting teammates for workouts near his home in Houston, Cabot adds.
The Browns drafted Woods in the sixth round last year. The 6-foot-1 target saw action on 23% of Cleveland’s offensive snaps, logging 155 as a rookie. He was on the field for 36% of the Browns’ special teams plays. Woods caught five passes for 45 yards during his first NFL season. While he would have been ticketed for a backup role again next season, Cabot adds the Browns were pleased with his progress thus far. This certainly represents a blow to the Day 3 draftee’s development.
Cleveland selected Woods 202nd overall last year. The 23-year-old pass catcher played three seasons at Arkansas before transferring to Oklahoma ahead of his senior season. He teamed with Treylon Burks on the Razorbacks in 2020, posting a career-high 619 receiving yards (19.3 per catch) and five touchdowns.
Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones and trade acquisition Elijah Moore are positioned to be Watson’s top targets next season. The team also has former third-rounders Anthony Schwartz and David Bell on the roster. Woods will likely head to the NFI list once training camp begins. Placement on the reserve/NFI list to start the regular season will mean at least four missed games. An Achilles timetable will likely run longer.
That sucks for him. Hope he can make it back.