Cleveland — There might not be a better term to sum up the 2023 Cleveland Browns than next man up.
As the regular season comes to a close, that description is still being put to the ultimate test.
After the Browns defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 31–27, the team declared that starting offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Dawand Jones would miss the remainder of the season due to injuries.
Defense tackle Maurice Hurst declared on his X account (previously Twitter) on Tuesday that his season will come to an end due to a torn pectoral muscle injury he sustained in Sunday’s game. In all 13 games this season, Hurst has been one of the most reliable players on the Browns’ revamped defensive line. He has recorded 22 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, 3 passes defended, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
Two important members of Cleveland’s defense suffered season-ending injuries, the Brownsmor announced today.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, who has adapted well to Jim Schwartz’s new-look squad in his first season with the team, will probably miss the remainder of the campaign due to a pectoral injury. Playing in all 13 games this season, Okoronkwo has recorded 22 tackles (12 for loss), 8 QB hits, and 4 1/2 sacks.
After undergoing surgery to repair a torn groin muscle, safety Grant Delpit was placed on injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game, just days after inking a three-year contract extension. Playing in all 13 games for Cleveland this season, Delpit has been a reliable presence in the secondary, recording 63 solo tackles (7 for loss), an interception, four quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery.
There may be a bright spot to the losses of Delpit and Okoronkwo: Stefanski left the door open for both players to return in the postseason, though this may just be wishful thinking given their injuries.
S Grant Delpit has been placed on injured reserve by the Browns. Maybe he’ll return for the postseason.
— December 13, 2023, Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
You can now release your breath, but proceed with caution if the information you have read thus far has left you with a bad taste in your mouth despite the otherwise wonderful season.
The following is a list of players who, as of Wednesday, December 13, are not available for the regular season:
QB Deshaun Watson RB Nick Chubb RT Jack Conklin RT Dawand Jones LT Jed Wills LB Rodney McLeod, WR/KR, and Jacob Phillips, S Jakeem Grant S Grant Delpit DT Maurice Hurst
DE Okoronkwo Ogbo
Remember that this is merely a list of players who are out for the season. Star defensive players Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett have both recently struggled with injuries; Ward has missed the last three games because of a shoulder problem. In addition, injuries still plague defensive end Za’Darius Smith, center Ethan Pocic, running back Jerome Ford, safety Juan Thornhill, and linebacker Jordan Elliot.
If you only looked at the weekly injury report, you would never know that the Browns have an 8-5 record. You wouldn’t think that this team has the best win-loss record among AFC wild-card teams 14 weeks into the season, with their fourth starting quarterback. It’s important to note that the 8-5 record matches that of the Kansas City Chiefs, the current NFL champions.
Nothing has been simple for the Cleveland Browns of 2023, and while a cursory look at the four games left in the schedule effectively eliminates two teams from the playoff race, the team’s ability to qualify for the postseason for the third time since 1999 will depend more than ever on its ability to adopt the “next man up” mentality.
