Browns veteran safety out for season

Rodney McLeod is done for the season. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that the safety suffered a biceps injury that will require season-ending surgery, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.

The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over the Steelers. McLeod was later diagnosed with a torn biceps.

Following a career year with the Colts that saw him finish with 96 tackles, eight passes defended, and two interceptions, McLeod caught on with the Browns this past offseason. While the veteran has only started five of his 10 games this season, he’s played a significant role on Cleveland’s league-leading defense.

As Cabot writes, the Browns have leaned heavily on the 33-year-old’s leadership and experience in Jim Schwartz’s defense. McLeod has also contributed to the stat sheet, compiling 29 total tackles. The veteran played in about half of his team’s defensive snaps while also contributing on special teams.

The injury comes at an especially bad time for the Browns with safety Juan Thornhill also sidelined. This means Cleveland will have to rely on the likes of D’Anthony Bell and Ronnie Hickman to play opposite starter Grant Delpit until the team gets some reinforcement.