The risk of injury during pre-season games is one of the reasons why coaches prefer to leave their regular players on the bench for these early training games.
Backups can also be compromised.
This happened on Saturday when Cleveland hosted the Green Bay Packers and a Browns offensive lineman was carted off the field with an apparent ankle injury.
Analyst Ashley Bastock confirmed on Twitter that backup center Luke Wypler was being treated for an ankle problem when he was “carried off the field with an aircast on his right leg.”
#Brown Substitute C Luke Wypler was just carried off the field with an aircast on his right leg. Zack Johnson is now in center. They had already lost Brian Allen to injury at the Greenbrier.
– Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) 10 August 2024
With starter Ethan Pocic sitting out the game, the Browns used recently signed freshman guard Zack Johnson as the third center.
Wypler is in his second season with the Browns after finishing a strong career at Ohio State.
Last season, Wypler played in six games, including one as right guard.
Veteran center Brian Allen was released early in the offseason after the player was placed on the injured list while the team was in the Greenbrier portion of training camp.
The Browns have had several players on the offensive line miss the last 12 months due to injury. This includes three offensive tackles – Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin and Dawand Jones – who suffered season-ending knee injuries last year.
Wypler was not the only player injured during the game.
In addition to Wypler, safety Ronnie Hickman, wide receiver David Bell, safety Vincent Gray and linebacker Nathaniel Watson were also injured during the preseason practice game.
Fortunately, none of the injuries appear to pose a serious problem for the Browns.
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