Cleveland Browns news and notes, Week 16: Joel Bitonio, others injured remain ‘day to day’

BEREA — Anyone hoping a night’s sleep would assuage any long-term concerns about the Browns’ current injury situation would’ve been disappointed on Monday,

Head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the team’s injuries right at the start of his Monday day-after Zoom call with the media. However, he had nothing of clarity as to how those injuries will impact the Browns’ trip to face the Houston Texans next Sunday in a game dripping with AFC playoff implications.

“Don’t really have major injury updates, guys,” Stefanski said. “Everybody’s basically day to day there.”

The biggest one is All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio, who left the game with 6:08 remaining in the first quarter. Bitonio had what was announced as a back injury, which he actually did during pregame warmups.

Bitonio missed the Browns’ Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery during the bye week. Michael Dunn, who also filled in for Bitonio on Sunday, started in his place, snapping the All-Pro’s 102-game consecutive regular-season start streak.

 

“Low back injury,” Stefanski said. “I don’t know that it’s more than that. I know that’s painful. Tried to go, but felt like he couldn’t.”

The other injury statuses being watched this week are that of linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) and safety Juan Thornhill (calf). Both did not play Sunday with the injuries, with Thornhill missing his second consecutive game.

Walker was replaced in the lineup by Tony Fields II. Thornhill was replaced by rookie Ronnie Hickman.

Cleveland Browns offensive line remains in state of flux

Bitonio is one of two offensive linemen whose status would be critically important for the game against the Texans. The other is center Ethan Pocic, who missed Sunday’s game with a stinger he suffered the week before against the Jacksonville Jaguars.