Luke Wypler was carted off the field during the Browns’ preseason opener. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Saturday the second-year center suffered a broken ankle and he will undergo surgery as a result.
Wypler now faces a lengthy absence, something which will add further to Cleveland’s depth issues along the interior of the offensive line. Center in particular is a question mark due to injuries suffered this summer. Prior to today’s news, Brian Allen was placed on injured reserve in July as a result of a calf injury.
The former Ram signed with the Browns in free agency after being let go earlier in the offseason. Allen was set to provide his new team with veteran experience in the middle, but in the wake of his injury situation he has since been released. Ethan Pocic remains on track to hold down starting center duties, but depth behind him will now be a concern.
Nick Harris departed in free agency, leaving Wypler in place to log second-team duties at the center spot. If the latter is sidelined for an extended period, Cleveland could be forced to seek an outside depth addition before or during roster cutdowns. The team currently has just under $30MM in cap space, so a signing would be feasible from an economic standpoint.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, Wypler made five appearances and one start as a rookie. He split his time between center and right guard during that span, allowing two pressures and no sacks in pass protection. The 23-year-old was positioned to once again see spot-start duties in the middle of the O-line in the event Pocic were to miss time, but he will now turn his attention to recovery.