Getty Kicker Dustin Hopkins and offensive guard Michael Dunn of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns are a gritty group, but one NFL team can only withstand so many injuries.
Michael Dunn is the latest casualty along an injury-ridden offensive line. The Browns announced on Tuesday, October 17, that the reserve guard is headed to the injured reserve list (IR). The news means Dunn will miss at least the next four games with a calf issue.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters following Cleveland’s win over the San Francisco 49ers that Dunn refused to come out of the game after suffering the injury. Dunn started Sunday in place of five-time All-Pro Joel Bitonio, who missed the contest with knee issue.
“He was unbelievable,” Stefanski said Monday. “I mean, the way he fought through his injury, he wouldn’t come out of the game, and you can see it on tape that he was fighting. … He’s a guy that we trust so much. He’s played well when we put him in there. He is an awesome teammate, just an all-around good person.”
Browns Offensive Line Decimated by Several Injuries
GettyCleveland Browns right tackle Jack Conklin left the field with a knee injury during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals in September 2023.
Cleveland’s depth chart along the offensive line has grown dangerously thin since the team entered the season with one of the best and deepest units in the NFL.
Right tackle Jack Conklin is out for the season with a knee injury, replaced in Week 1 by fourth-round rookie Dawand Jones. The Browns placed backup guard Drew Forbes on the reserve/non-football illness list due to a back injury he sustained during the preseason. Along with Dunn’s calf problem, that means Cleveland is without a backup offensive guard on the depth chart as of Tuesday. Forbes has also played some tackle during his career.
Starting center Ethan Pocic suffered chest and leg injuries during the Browns’ Week-4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, though the team’s bye the following week allowed him to recover well enough to return to the starting lineup against the 49ers.
Backup tackle James Hudson III, and backup centers Nick Harris and Luke Wypler are the only three reserve linemen on Cleveland’s active roster as of Tuesday afternoon.
Browns Expected to Be Active Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline
GettyCleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam (left) talks with general manager Andrew Berry (right).
The Browns are in need of depth at several positions, though the team has said only that it intends to actively pursue offensive linemen ahead of the NFL trade deadline on October 31.
Beyond the injuries, Cleveland is dealing with subpar play from starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. As a result, the Browns could try to make multiple deals at the guard and tackle positions over the next couple of weeks.
The Denver Broncos are leading candidates to move players ahead of the trade deadline, including starting left tackle Garett Bolles, after the team began the season 1-6. The New England Patriots and New York Giants are also likely to be sellers ahead of the deadline after each team started the season 1-5.