Browns QB Robert Griffin III will be placed on injured reserve but could return
It’s never easy with Robert Griffin III.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback made his debut with the team on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it could be a while before he sees the field again. The team announced that it will place Griffin on injured reserve but will reevaluate his status in 3-4 weeks.
Griffin suffered a fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder. Surgery is not needed at this time, however.
Griffin had an MRI on the shoulder, which revealed the nature of the injury, but said after Sunday’s game he felt OK.
“I can move my left arm,” RG3 said after Sunday’s 29-10 loss to the Eagles. “I’m in pain, but it will be OK, just have to monitor it. We’ll see more [Monday] and see how my shoulder is feeling and just move on from there.”
The injury appeared to occur when Griffin scrambled for 11 yards and was hit by defensive back Jalen Mills while going out of bounds. The Browns trailed 22-10 at the time, and Griffin was trying in vain to rally the team. He then got hit again on the next play while throwing an incomplete pass and appeared to be in pain.
“It’s very unfortunate, Robert came in and has worked extremely hard to learn our offense and earn the respect of his teammates,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “This is a tough loss because everyone has seen how invested he has been in this team and his dedication to the work needed to improve his craft. We all know these are the realities of the NFL, injuries occur and you have to find ways to overcome them so they don’t impede your progress.
“Robert will do everything in his power to rehab and get healthy but Josh McCown is on this roster for a reason and we have great confidence in him. He is more than capable. His veteran presence has been an asset to our team throughout our process of preparing for the season. We look forward to him assuming the role of the starter and leading our offensive unit.”
Overall, Griffin struggled in the game, but his teammates didn’t offer much in the way of help.
Griffin spent four years with the Washington Redskins, with injuries derailing a career that appeared to be on the path of brilliance in 2012 as a rookie. But he fell into the doghouse and suffered multiple ailments that limited him to 35 starts over that time after appearing to be a franchise pillar.
The Browns reportedly will start Josh McCown in Griffin’s place against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 if he can’t go. The backup would be third-round pick Cody Kessler. McCown threw for a club record and personal best 457 yards in an over time win over the Ravens last season. He started eight games for the Browns last season and has 57 career starts with seven teams over 14 NFL seasons.
The current injured reserve rules allow teams to designate one player to return, but they do not need to declare that until the player is able to return to practice. Players placed on injured reserve are eligible to return to practice in six weeks and must miss a minimum of eight games.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
