The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Team hopeful Bitonio will be ready for opener
Left guard Joel Bitonio will be out indefinitely after suffering a knee injury in practice on Aug. 15, the Browns announced. “I don’t think it’s anything major,” Coach Hue Jackson said.
Starting left guard Joel Bitonio will be out indefinitely after suffering a knee injury in practice on Aug. 15, the Browns announced during practice on Aug. 16.
Backup offensive lineman Cameron Erving suffered a calf injury in the same practice and will also be out for an indefinite period.
“Their return to play status will be evaluated on a week-by-week basis,” the Browns said in a news release. At the practice, Coach Hue Jackson said he expects both players to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 10 against the Steelers.
John Greco replaced Bitonio with the first team offense on Aug. 16 and will start against the Giants in the preseason game Aug. 21. Rookie Roderick Johnson will start at left tackle. Marcus Martin and Spencer Drango are listed behind Bitonio on the depth chart.
“We’ll see where we are,” Jackson said after practice. “I know our medical staff is doing everything they can to get our guys back soon, but I don’t think it’s anything major that’s going to keep them out a ton of time. I just think we have to work through some things and make sure we get those guys healthy.
“I hope to have them (for the opener), but you never know medically how these things work, but we’re right in that window whewre we have the opportunity to have them both back and ready to go. I feel good abut that, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Bitonio, a second-round draft choice in 2014, finished each of the last two seasons on injured reserve. He missed the last six games in 2015 with an ankle injury and the last 11 games last season with a foot injury.
“Trust me, this is not Joel doing this,” Jackson said. “Hopefully we’ll get him back, and we will get him back. I feel very comfortable and confident he’ll be back sooner rather than later. He’s very competitive. He wants to be out here right now.”
Greco, 32, is valuable to the Browns because he can back up any position on the interior of the offensive line. He is coming off a foot injury that forced him to miss the last four games of the 2016 season.