The Cleveland Browns cannot afford injuries on either side of the ball. The team is limited in quality depth they have on the roster and need everyone at full strength. So when Dwayne Bowe went down grabbing his knee during team practice, everyone naturally held their breath. Does the injury to the wide receiver force free agency interest for the Browns?
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bowe went down while getting tangled up with a defender and was slow to rise while limping off the field during the two-hour practice. The veteran reportedly tweaked his knee and cold be help out of the rest of practices. Bowe was one of the main free agent signings for the Browns and is expected to be an immediate starter. He signed a two-year contract worth $12 million as the Browns desperately need him.
"I'll wait to see the results of it," Pettine said, via the Plain Dealer. "It wasn't anything serious, but especially in the spring with anything, we're going to tend to err on the side of being conservative. He's been good. He's been a veteran. He's been a good role model for those young guys. Just the ability to win outside some of the back-shoulder throws we've been able to make."
With Bowe injured, the Browns could take a look at what the free agent market has to offer. At this point, the team needs all of the playmakers they can get and would be wise to add someone just to help out. The No.1 option at the moment is Wes Welker who has made it clear he intends to play this season for a team. Welker was not re-signed by the Denver Broncos and has been deemed healthy after a concussion stint. He would be a solid threat on the field for Josh McCown to work with. Other strong options could be James Jones or Reggie Wayne who remain available.
Until the Brown decide the severity of Bowe's injury, Brian Hartline will be the No.1 receiver on the field while players like Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjamin work themselves in as well. The Browns have a lot of confidence in their offense at the moment despite the lack of a true top receiver and quarterback. However, injuries could derail all of that.
