BEREA — Browns defensive leader Anthony Walker Jr. underwent an arthroscopic knee procedure on Thursday that will leave the linebacker as a week-to-week evaluation, according to the team.

Walker was ruled out of Sunday's game at the Houston Texans on Friday, about two hours before the team announced the surgery. It'll be the second consecutive game he has missed due to the knee injury.

Earlier in the week, Walker spoke to the media. At the time, he sounded optimistic about playing.

"Yeah, just a little tweak as (head coach) Kevin (Stefanski) said," Walker said Wednesday. "I'm good. I'll be good. I'll be OK."

The Browns didn't practice on Wednesday, but Walker was projected to have been limited if they had on the injury report. However, he didn't practice either of that last two days due to the injury.

Stefanski was asked after Friday's practice about what led to the setback for Walker, one of the team's most vocal leaders.

"Yeah, unfortunately had something going on with his knee," Stefanski said. "We'll continue to work through it with him. Disappointed that he's not going to make it this week."

Tony Fields II started in Walker's place during this past Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears, as he had when Walker missed the Week 13 loss at the Denver Broncos due to a hamstring injury. It likely also means more snaps for Sione Takitaki and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who both played more snaps than normal against the Bears.

Walker is the latest Browns starter or significant backup to sustain an injury that cost them multiple games. Six of those players — quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder), running back Nick Chubb (knee), left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), right tackle Jack Conklin (knee), safety Grant Delpit (groin), safety Rodney McLeod (bicep) and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (pectoral muscle) — are on injured reserve, with only Delpit potentially eyeing a return if the Browns make the playoffs.

On top of those six, Walker is one of three others who have already been ruled out for Sunday's key AFC matchup at the Texans, along with starting safety Juan Thornhill (calf) and key defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (pec). Left guard Joel Bitonio (back) is questionable after missing the last three-and-a-half quarters of the win over Chicago.

"Big loss," Takitaki said of Walker. "He’s a captain on the defensive side, leader, one of those vocal guys that keeps everything in line. We’ll feel his loss but we’ll make sure that everybody else picks up. You guys know how it is, next man up type of league. The other leaders lead and fill in where his presence was felt. So just got confidence in the whole defense to come in and keep going."

The seventh-year pro out of Northwestern had season-ending surgery a year ago on a torn quad tendon he suffered in a Week 3 win over Pittsburgh. He re-signed with the Browns this offseason and had played in 11 of the first 12 games before the knee issue arose late in the week leading into this past Sunday's win over Chicago.

Walker was sixth on the team in total tackles with 42, half of those solo stops. He had one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. has arthroscopic knee surgery