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Browns lose OG Steinbach for season
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis (40) follows a block by guard Eric Steinbach (65) against the Cincinnati Bengals in their NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Associated Press
BEREA
The sturdy left side of Cleveland’s offensive line has developed a massive hole.
Guard Eric Steinbach’s season is over.
The steady Steinbach, who hasn’t missed a snap in two years at left guard, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, hours after undergoing surgery to repair a bulging back disc. Steinbach’s back stiffened up during practice two weeks ago, and when it didn’t respond to treatments, the eight-year veteran opted for surgery.
Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Steinbach’s operation went well, but the Browns had no choice but put him on IR, a major loss for their offense.
“He’s been incredibly durable,” said Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas, who has lined up for 62 of his 64 career games alongside Steinbach. “He’s been a huge asset to our offense, so it is a big blow not having him out there.”
Cleveland’s left side is arguably the NFL’s finest with Steinbach sandwiched between Thomas, a four-time Pro Bowler, and center Alex Mack, chosen to go to Hawaii last year following his second season as a pro. Steinbach’s loss will not only hurt the Browns’ running game and ability to protect quarterback Colt McCoy, but it may force Shurmur to start rookie Jason Pinkston up front in the Sept. 11 season opener against Cincinnati.
“I wouldn’t presume anything right now,” Shurmur said, “but if we were playing a game tomorrow, that’s what we would probably do.”
Shurmur indicated the Browns would explore other options, especially with teams trimming their rosters before Saturday’s deadline to get to 53.
“There’s a lot of things that get done now in the next 48 or 72 hours,” he said.
Thomas hates to lose his left-side partner, but in this league there’s no time for sympathy.
“It’s the next-man-in mentality,” Thomas said. “We’ve gotta have somebody step up there. Hopefully it’ll be Pinkston.”
A fifth-round pick who played left tackle at Pittsburgh, Pinkston has already been thrown into the pool’s deep end. Now, he has to keep himself afloat.
“That’s why they draft you,” the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder said. “They bring you in here and you’ve got to be ready, because you know it’s a long season. You never know when someone’s going to get banged up or nicked up or what’s going to happen. You just got to be ready to step up and play.”
If Pinkston can’t get the job done, the Browns have other options.
On Tuesday, they added depth when they were rewarded Oneil Cousins off waivers from Baltimore. Also, the team acquired veteran guard John Greco, a Boardman High graduate, earlier this month in a trade with St. Louis.
Thomas said Steinbach’s replacement has big shoes to fill, and that there isn’t much a team can do to hide a player.
“You’d hope that whoever steps in there is going to be able to hold his own and it’s not going to have to be somebody to cover up,” he said.