LB Sione Takitaki "Week to Week" with Hamstring Injury
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media on Monday that linebacker Sione Takitaki is "week to week" with a hamstring injury.
The Browns are already down at the linebacker position and have now lost Anthony Walker and Takitaki in back to back weeks due to injury. The optimistic view is that Walker will be back for the Arizona Cardinals game on October 17th.
Walker was placed on injured reserve. Based on Stefanski's language, it sounds as though Takitaki will not be. Nevertheless, the Browns are down what was arguably their best linebacker against the Houston Texans and are increasingly thin at the position.
If there is good news, it's that Takitaki's position of SAM is largely a function of scheme. The Browns don't have to utilize a SAM if they choose not to, opting to roll with just two linebackers every play. However, there are times when it's useful to have one. The Browns may want to bring in a temporary option.
So the Browns are no more thin at middle and weak side backer than they were before the injury as he has not played either spot this season. The other area where losing Takitaki hurts is special teams. He's been a core special teamer both last year and the start of this year. That unit has been decidedly more effective this season.
The game against the Texans proved to be a brutal affair. The Browns came out of it healthier than the Texans, but they still lose both Jarvis Landry and Takitaki for some period of time.
