The injury bug returns to the Browns, hitting Terrelle Pryor and Justin Gilbert

As if the Browns needed more injuries to their battered and bruised roster, receiver Terrelle Pryor and cornerback Justin Gilbert missed all of and the majority of, respectively, Tuesday’s final joint practice with the Buffalo Bills at St. John Fisher College. Pryor was held out of practice due to a sore hamstring he had injured earlier in the preseason. Gilbert left practice after he came down awkwardly in a coverage drill against the Bills, suffering a hip flexor injury.

Browns head Coach Mike Pettine explained Terrelle Pryor’s injury after practice on Tuesday. “I think he felt his hammy grab again a little bit yesterday.” Pettine also noted that the injury was to the same hamstring that forced Pryor to miss a couple weeks earlier in the preseason. His status for the Browns preseason game on Thursday versus the Buffalo Bills is up in the air. Pryor is digging a deeper hole for himself as he tries to make the final 53-man roster.

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Pettine also commented on the injury to corner Justin Gilbert. “I believe it is a hip flexor,” Pettine said of the injury. “I don’t think it significant. It is a hip flexor. It will just be a little bit of time.” Pettine explained that the injury happened during the one-on-one period in the red zone.

This just adds to a bad week for Gilbert. It started with his tough night in the Browns first preseason game versus the Washington Redskins, where he was burned a couple times in coverage. He then continued his struggles when he had a rough day staying with the Bills receivers on their first day of joint practices. Maybe this injury could help him settle down and get his mind straight.

Pettine was asked if he can do anything to cut down on the numerous hamstring injuries the Browns have faced this preseason:

“No. It is a two-way street. We have a protocol. Our guys have to be professional and handle their business and stick to it. You don’t want to panic and just jump off and do something radically different and then it gets worse. We believe in what we do and we have to make sure we are all complying with it as well.”

Getting ready for the second preseason game on Thursday, Pettine said that his plan will be altered because of the numerous injuries:

“It will. We will get the injury report tomorrow and sort it out by position groups just to see where we are. We feel like we are close to getting some of our guys back, and also with the long break to Tampa, that is kind of a nice luxury to have. What is it, nine or 10 days to Tampa? We will get some of our guys back. We feel we will be much better off headed into that [game], assuming we can get through Thursday night pretty clean.”

Pettine said he would meet with his coaches today to discuss the playing time for his players. The Browns are traveling home today to get set for their second home preseason game versus the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff at FirstEnergy Stadium is set for 8 p.m. Thursday.