BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Another day, another player lost to injury and that may not be the end of the bad news for the Cleveland Browns.
Here’s our top Brownie Bites from Wednesday.
Next man up (again) – Safety Grant Delpit was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury, ending his regular season and the team is awaiting word as to whether defensive end Ogbonaya Okoronkwo will suffer the same fate due to a pectoral injury. “I don't have final confirmation on Ogbo just yet,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Obviously might be heading that way, which, but I'll hold out hope. Mo had surgery. Grant had surgery. I feel badly for those guys. They're a big part of who we are. They certainly have been a big part of our success to date, but next man up.” Delpit underwent surgery Tuesday and he is the sixth Week 1 starter lost to injury. “I hope we don't have to find out anymore,” linebacker Anthony Walker said. “No, man, we believe in everybody in this locker room. They're here for a reason. Obviously it sucks, right, to lose guys. We've done it all year from Week 1 on. So the name of the NFL is next man up as we all like to say. We don't like to say it, but we have to say it, the next man up mentality and yeah, we believe in everybody in this locker room, so whoever gets that opportunity, we believe in that person, and it won't be no different with the new guy stepping up.” Delpit, who has started all 13 games, was having a Pro Bowl caliber season by ls leading the Browns with 77 tackles while adding 1.5 sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery. It’s why Delpit received a three-year contract extension. “Grant does a lot for us,” cornerback Greg Newsome II said. “Obviously, with the contract extension, that already shows you what everybody in the building feels about him and that shows you what we feel about him. He's a hard-nosed player. He sets the tone for us, especially with his physicality, his leadership. So just hoping we get him back out there, too.” Stefanski left open the possibility that Delpit could recover in time for the playoffs, assuming the Browns qualify and depending how far they can go. With Delpit sidelined, that means more playing time for rookie Ronnie Hickman and D’Anthony Bell. “I thought they played amazing,” Newsome said. “I mean, just singling [out] first on Ronnie Hickman, like you guys seen it out there, he made a crucial stop. He's playing physical, playing very instinctive. And whoever's out there, obviously missing guys like Juan [Thornhill], who wasn't able to play out there, and Grant and then ride obviously out for the season, that's a big toll on us. But when you got young guys that have been learning from those vets and when their opportunity came, they rose up to the challenge.”
Piling up – Delpit will be the 11th key player not to finish the regular season due to injury – linebacker Jacob Phillips, receiver/returner Jakeem Grant, receiver Michael Woods II (Non-football injury), right tackle Jack Conklin, running back Nick Chubb, Jedrick Wills Jr., quarterback Deshaun Watson, safety Rodney McLeod, Dawand Jones, Maurice Hurst and now Delpit. “Every single season has its own challenges,” Stefanski said. “We're no different than a lot of teams. You're dealing with injuries. It's the NFL. It's December. It is what it is.” On Tuesday the team placed Jones and Hurst on IR and Ogbonnaya could be heading there soon. Despite the volume of injuries to significant contributors, the Browns control their playoff destiny with four games to play. “I think we've prepared ourselves, I believe, a lot better than we have probably in the past of guys going down and not executing at the same tempo and everything like that,” Walker said. “I think we've gotten a lot better at that, guys being ready to go when their number's called. Testament to player and coach. Yeah, we've been through a lot, but nobody's going to feel sorry for us and it's December football, you can't ask for a better position to be in, give yourself a shot to get into the playoffs and one-game seasons from there and you can go as far as you want to go. So I wouldn't trade it. Obviously I'd love to be having Nick Chubb and Deshaun and everybody healthy, but I wouldn't trade this position at all.”
Diplomatic immunity – Sending clips to the league office for clarification haven’t worked so Myles Garrett let loose following Sunday’s win over the lack of penalties he is drawing despite being held – sometimes by his facemask. “Myles gets a ton of attention, breaking news into Sports Center,” Stefanski said. “The coordinators when they're getting ready to game plan for him, I mean the game plan is built around stopping him, so he gets a ton of attention via tight end chips, running back chips, slides to him and he's a difficult guy to block. So there's always going to be plays that the offensive line is holding on for dear life, sometimes literally. So he fights through it. I know he was frustrated, but he's just got to keep and he will keep playing and not let that get in the way of him playing really good football.” Since diplomacy using proper channels to quietly protest the officiating haven’t worked, Garrett made his frustration public. “He has respect for this game,” Stefanski said. “He understands that he's frustrated. It's something I talk to the officials about every week leading up to the game is keeping an eye on the guys that are blocking him. So it really comes with being a great player. We want the other teams to play within the rules obviously, but it hasn't slowed him down. I mean he continues to play at a very high level.”
Going international – The NFL announced the league will play a game next season in Brazil and in 2025 the NFL will double the schedule of international games from four to eight, meaning half the league could play a game overseas during a season. “Becoming a global sport is a major strategic priority for the league and 32 teams,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “Increasing international game inventory allows us to grow our global presence and share our game with exciting new markets to connect with more fans around the world.” As part of the updated resolution approved by NFL ownership, no club would be required to play more than one regular season game outside of North America in the same season unless they specifically choose to. Each club designated to play in an international regular season game will be permitted to select two of their regular season opponents that will not be eligible to be scheduled as their opponent in an international game. International games may not be scheduled after Week 14 of the NFL season. The moves were approved by owners at the league meetings in Dallas, Texas.
Early returns – Garrett along with kicker Dustin Hopkins continue to lead the fan vote in the AFC at their respective positions for the Pro Bowl games according to the latest update on voting from the NFL. Garrett has 13.0 sacks this season while Hopkins has set Browns franchise records with 31 field goal makes and eight of those coming from at least 50 yards.
Roster shuffle – With Delpit being put on IR, the Browns signed safety Duron Harmon to the active roster from the practice squad and tackle Joey Fisher was signed to the practice squad. Harmon is in his 11th NFL season and was a third-round pick by New England in 2013. Harmon has appeared in 164 games with 79 starts for the Patriots (2013-19), Lions (2020), Falcons (2021), Raiders (2022) and Bears (2023) where he has recorded 397 tackles, 23 interceptions, 43 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He has appeared in four Super Bowls and helped New England win three. Harmon has appeared in three games with one start for the Bears this season before joining the Browns’ practice squad on Nov. 22.
Quote of the day – “I’m a guy with a beard. I could shave it off and look completely different tomorrow, so I probably should. It's just playing into the fact that I'm an older quarterback. If I shave this off, it would probably take five years off.” Quarterback Joe Flacco on being teased about being Stefanski’s long lost brother.
Injury report – DNP: LG Joel Bitonio (rest, knee), WR Amari Cooper (rest, ribs), DE Myles Garrett (rest, shoulder), K Dustin Hopkins (personal), TE David Njoku (rest, knee), LB Anthony Walker (rest, knee), DE Ogbo Okoronkwo (pectoral), DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), RB Kareem Hunt (groin), C Ethan Pocic (stinger), S Juan Thornhill (calf); LIMITED: RB Jerome Ford (wrist), CB Denzel Ward (shoulder)