Hardesty out with calf tear

Associated Press

BEREA

The Browns are running out of running backs.

Montario Hardesty tore a calf muscle in Sunday’s loss at San Francisco, leaving Cleveland with just one healthy running back on its current roster. Coach Pat Shurmur said Hardesty will be out an indefinite period.

“It will be games,” said Shurmur, adding Hardesty is wearing a protective boot. “It will take him a little time to heal up from this injury. I can’t tell you how many [games].”

Hardesty, who missed his rookie season following knee surgery and was starting because Peyton Hillis is injured, was injured on Cleveland’s second series. Hardesty was making his second straight start because Hillis missed his second straight game with a strained hamstring. Shurmur said Hillis, whose season has been a disaster with his ongoing contract situation and injuries, did light running and is day-to-day.

Shurmur said Hardesty has a “moderate tear of a medial gastrocnemius” muscle, the large muscle at the back of his lower leg.

“Any doctors in here?” Shurmur joked, attempting to lighten the mood during his news conference.

The Browns (3-4) will bring in running backs for tryouts Tuesday at the team’s training facility, Shurmur said. Currently, Chris Ogbonnaya is the only healthy back on the team’s 53-man roster. Ogbonnaya has been with the club for less than two weeks, signed off Houston’s practice squad on Oct. 18.

On Sunday, Ogbonnaya was pressed into duty and ran for 37 yards on 11 carries and caught five passes. If he had gotten hurt, fullback Owen Marecic was the club’s only available option at tailback.

If Hillis can’t play this week, Ogbonnaya may have to start when the Browns visit the Texans (5-3). Hillis traveled with the team to San Francisco, but was ruled out shortly before kickoff. He returned to practice last Wednesday for the first time since getting hurt on Oct. 16, but was sore the next day.

It’s not immediately known which running backs the Browns will have in for workouts.

Cleveland’s medical issues in the backfield began during the exhibition season when Brandon Jackson was lost for the season with a toe injury. The Browns have rookie Armond Smith on the practice squad, and Shurmur said wide receiver Josh Cribbs could be used at running back, but that seems unlikely.

Shurmur made it clear the Browns can’t use injuries as an excuse.

“Well, our list of runners has increased,” he said. “We like to think that we can still run the football. Whoever’s running the ball, whoever’s lining up at tailback will have that opportunity. We’ve sustained some injuries and we’ve had our first, second and third guy get hurt. We just have to keep playing.”