Kevin Stefanski announces Browns will be without two impact receivers for several weeks

The Cleveland Browns were embarrassed by the Detroit Lions but the loss is hardly the worst part about Sunday’s game.

The team lost Cedric Tillman to a hamstring injury in the first half before losing return specialist DeAndre Carter to a knee injury in the second half.

During his media availability on Monday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Tillman and Carter will be sidelined for “weeks” with their respective injuries.

Carter has handled the return duties for the Browns after signing a one-year deal with the team this offseason. He cleared concussion protocol earlier this season, and has played in all four games for the Browns. While he does not have any catches, the Browns will need to find somebody to handle return duties.

Tillman has 11 catches for 106 yards through four games this season. While Cleveland’s offense has been bad, Tillman has turned into the second-best receiver on the depth chart.

Other pass catchers on the active roster include Jerry Jeudy, Jamari Thrash and undrafted rookie Isaiah Bond. Without Carter and Tillman available, expect the Browns to elevate a few players from their practice squad.

Preseason fan favorite Gage Larvadain could be activated because of Tillman’s injury. Wide receiver Kaden Davis has already been elevated once this year and could contribute on special teams in the absence of Carter. Additionally, Mentor High School and Kent State UDFA Luke Floreia just signed to the practice squad last week. While the local product might need one more injury for an elevation, the Browns would probably like to evaluate what he could do in the NFL.

At 1-3, the Browns could be quickly approaching evaluation mode if the team does not win some games in short order.

On Monday, Stefanski declined to commit to Joe Flacco as the team’s starting quarterback heading into Week 5’s matchup with the Minnesota Vikings in London. If the Browns pull the plug on the Flacco experiment, rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel is expected to get the start.

With Gabriel and potentially Shedeur Sanders suiting up for regular season action, the Browns could decide that it’s in their best interest to evaluate the young talent on their roster. This would create even more opportunities for Larvadain, Davis and potentially Floreia depending on how serious these injuries are.

Remember, Stefanski is notoriously vague with injury reporting. Just last year, starting left tackle Jedrick Wills was listed as “day to day” with an injury that sat him out several months, resulting in a surgery at the end of the season.

An already stale Browns offense will now be without their second-best pass catcher. Jeudy will need to step up, and the Browns will likely try to get more out of Thrash and Bond as well as tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. moving forward.