With the Browns dealing with a staggering amount of injuries, there were medical updates galore about the team Tuesday.
Doctors don’t believe quarterback Robert Griffin III needs surgery on the fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder, a person familiar with the situation confirmed.
Griffin’s shoulder is re-evaluated on a weekly basis, but at this point, the expectation is surgery won’t be required. He suffered the injury Sept. 11 as the starter in the regular-season opener and is on injured reserve.
Meanwhile, the Browns announced starting free safety Jordan Poyer was discharged Tuesday from Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. He spent two nights in the hospital after suffering a lacerated kidney Sunday in a 28-26 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Poyer tweeted he’d return to Cleveland by car Tuesday because he wasn’t allowed to fly, and thanked well-wishers.
Poyer likely will miss the rest of this season. The Browns placed him on injured reserve Tuesday and promoted Ed Reynolds from the practice squad.
The team also announced that starting left guard Joel Bitonio underwent successful surgery late Monday to repair a Lisfranc injury in his right foot and center Austin Reiter had reconstructive surgery Tuesday morning on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Both offensive linemen are out for the rest of this season, but the Browns expect them to make full recoveries by the start of next season.
Griffin, Poyer, Bitonio and Reiter are among 16 key Browns contributors who have missed or will miss multiple games this season.
Here’s more on each situation:
Griffin
No surgery would increase the chances of Griffin returning this season, but a comeback in 2016 is still far from a sure thing and would depend on how the shoulder heals. When Griffin was hurt five weeks ago, the team expected him to need at least eight to 12 weeks to recover.
By rule, each NFL team can designate one player on IR for return per season, but the player must miss eight games before playing again. So under the IR rule, Griffin wouldn’t be eligible to play until Nov. 10 on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. Still, his shoulder might not heal in time for him to play at all this season.
Regardless of when he’ll be able to play again, no surgery would be good news.
“Robert Griffin III, his status is unchanged,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said Monday.
ESPN first reported Griffin isn’t expected to require surgery, adding a source close to the QB said he plans to be extremely patient with his return and hasn’t placed a timeline on it.
After Griffin was hurt, quarterback Josh McCown suffered a fractured left collarbone in the next game on Sept. 18. He returned to practice last week, but Jackson said Monday McCown has not been cleared to play in a game yet and probably won’t be this week.
In the meantime, rookie quarterback Cody Kessler has performed well in four consecutive starts and will lead the Browns (0-6) on the road Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4).
Poyer
On Monday, Jackson acknowledged Poyer could be done for the season.
“A kidney is a serious thing,” Jackson said. “I hope we can [get Poyer back this season], but if we don’t, I do understand that, too, because that’s something that’s very serious.”
As Poyer ran down the field on punt coverage, Titans running back Antonio Andrews blasted him in the midsection, chest and face mask with 6:33 left in the second quarter. The devastating hit drew a penalty for an illegal blindside block.
Andrews posted a video clip of the play on Instagram with the caption “relentless.”
On Tuesday, Poyer reacted in a series of three tweets.
“Buddy posted the hit to his Social Media page?” Poyer wrote.
“Wow.
“Not complaining about the hit... its football.. stuff happens... but dam.. idk [I don’t know] why but thats wild to me.. good for him tho.”
After Poyer was hurt Sunday, the Browns replaced him with undrafted rookie Tracy Howard, who plays cornerback as well. Howard is now the starting free safety on the team’s unofficial depth chart. Reynolds is his backup.
Bitonio
Foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson performed the surgery in Charlotte, N.C.
The Browns had expected Bitonio to miss the rest of this season since he suffered the midfoot injury Oct. 9 in a 33-13 loss to the New England Patriots. They put him on IR Friday.
Bitonio, a second-round draft pick in 2014, vowed to bounce back next year.
“I’m going to come back, and I’m going to work my tail my off and do everything in my power to come back better next season,” he said.
Alvin Bailey started at left guard Sunday against the Titans.
Reiter
He made his NFL regular-season debut Oct. 2 in a 31-20 loss to Washington, only to tear an ACL. Team physician Dr. James Voos performed the surgery at University Hospitals.
The Browns signed Reiter off Washington’s practice squad Sept. 20 after center Cameron Erving suffered a bruised lung two days earlier. Reiter impressed the team in his lone start.
As for Erving, he returned from his injury against the Titans and struggled.
Other roster moves
The Browns signed undrafted rookie defensive back Darius Hillary and wide receiver Jordan Leslie to their practice squad and released tight end E.J. Bibbs from the practice squad.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.