CLEVELAND — The injuries to key players are piling up quickly for the Cleveland Browns.
Starting safety Grant Delpit had groin surgery and went on injured reserve and coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo is dealing with a pectoral injury that could sideline him for several weeks.
It's been a brutal few days for the Browns (8-5), who have managed to stay in the AFC playoff race despite a wave of injuries since training camp.
Cleveland is on its fourth starting quarterback because of injuries.
“I hope we don’t have to find out anymore,” said linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. "We believe in everybody in this locker room. They’re here for a reason. Obviously. It sucks to lose guys. We’ve done it all year from Week 1 on.
“So the name of the NFL is next man up, as we all like to say. We don’t like to say it, but we have to say it.”
Delpit injured his groin on Sunday against Jacksonville, one day before he signed a three-year, $36 million contract extension. Delpit sacked the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence for a 13-yard loss before getting hurt.
He'll miss the final four regular-season games for the Browns (8-5), who are currently in the No. 5 playoff spot in the AFC. Stefanski said the team is holding out hope Delpit will be back if the Browns make the postseason.
The 25-year-old Delpit was having his best NFL season, leading the team with 77 tackles and anchoring Cleveland’s solid secondary. Delpit, who was drafted in the second round in 2020, also has an interception and fumble recovery.
As for Okoronkwo, who is second on the team with 4 1/2 sacks, Stefanski didn't say if he's going on IR, but “we could be headed that way.”
Okoronkwo got hurt sacking Lawrence in the third quarter. He returned but wasn't as effective.
The Browns have been hit hard by injuries since training camp.
Just this week, they lost starting tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Dawand Jones for the rest of the season. Wills had knee surgery on Tuesday and Jones is scheduled to have a procedure after injuring his knee in practice last week.
Cleveland is also missing quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder), running back Nick Chubb (knee), tackle Jack Conklin (knee), safety Rodney McLeod (biceps) and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (pectoral).
Return specialist Jakeem Grant (knee) and linebacker Jacob Phillips (pectoral) both got hurt during the summer.