The Cleveland Browns took an early hit to their defense Sunday when safety Grant Delpit needed help leaving the field on the Baltimore Ravens’ opening possession.
Delpit stayed down on the turf after making a tackle on wide receiver Zay Flowers. The injury appeared to come from friendly fire, with Browns defensive end Derek Barnett running into Delpit as the defenders converged on the play.
Trainers attended to Delpit before helping him off the field and into the medical tent.
The FOX broadcast noted that the league’s independent neurologist accompanied Delpit into the tent, raising concern about a possible head injury. After leaving the medical tent, Delpit went to the locker room with trainers.
His return status was not immediately clear, but the team confirmed he was being evaluated for a concussion. The Browns officially ruled him out at the end of the first quarter.
Cleveland opened with three safeties on the field to counter Baltimore’s run-heavy personnel. Delpit’s departure quickly complicated that plan, leaving the Browns without one of their starting defensive backs against an offense built to punish missed tackles.
The Browns defense nearly turned away the Ravens on the opening possession with a goal-line stand. However, quarterback Tyler Huntley found a wide-open Josh Cuevas on fourth down for the game’s opening touchdown.
Grant Delpit Injury Tests Browns’ Safety Depth
Delpit entered Sunday after working through shoulder and knee injuries during the week. He was limited Wednesday and Thursday before returning to full participation Friday, finishing the week without a game designation on the Browns’ injury report.
The opening-drive collision presented a new concern after Cleveland had cleared those earlier hurdles.
Rookie Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is behind Delpit on the Browns’ depth chart. Ronnie Hickman occupied the other starting safety spot, with Daniel Thomas and Donovan McMillon also listed in the group.
McNeil-Warren took on additional responsibility with Delpit sidelined. With Cleveland opening in a three-safety package, an extended absence would also test how much flexibility the Browns have to maintain that approach.
Browns Face Derrick Henry With Depleted Defense
Cleveland already entered the matchup short on the defensive interior. Mason Graham was inactive, while Mike Hall Jr. and Kalia Davis had been ruled out earlier in the week. Delpit’s exit added another concern behind a depleted front.
That is a difficult situation against Derrick Henry, who entered Sunday with 476 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Baltimore averaged 164.4 rushing yards through its first five games, the third-highest mark in the NFL.
The Ravens were starting Tyler Huntley for a second consecutive week with Lamar Jackson sidelined by an ankle injury. Huntley had helped Baltimore beat Atlanta in overtime the previous week.
Delpit understood the stakes entering the matchup.
“Division games are always big,” Delpit said ahead of Sunday. “They count for double in our eyes.”
Cleveland entered at 3-2, one game behind the 4-1 Ravens, with a chance to tie Baltimore in the AFC North standings.
Browns Get Bad News on Grant Delpit After Early Exit vs. Ravens