The Browns recorded their second win of the season on Sunday, but the team lost a key defender when linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was carted off the field due to a neck injury according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
The 24-year-old was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game and taken to a nearby hospital. Encouragingly, the team announced he has movement in all of his extremities. Owusu-Koramoah remained in hospital overnight for observation. While that was a precautionary measure, losing Owusu-Koramoah for any extended period would deal a major blow to the Browns’ defense.
The Pro Bowler leads Cleveland in tackles with 61 on the year, and he has added three sacks and an interception. Owusu-Koramoah landed a three-year, $37.5MM extension this offseason, confirming his status as a foundational member of Cleveland’s core. The Notre Dame product has started 41 of his 49 Browns appearances, and he enjoyed a breakout last year in terms of production (101 tackles, 3.5 sacks). That helped his leverage for negotiations on the extension front, and expectations were high for 2024 and beyond as a result of the new contract. Owusu-Koramoah has lived up to them so far, and he will be counted on to reprise his role as a key figure at the second level of the defense when he returns.
In the meantime, the Browns will move forward with an even thinner LB corps. Veteran Jordan Hicks has been sidelined for three games this year, including yesterday’s win over the Ravens. Missing him along with Owusu-Koramoah for a notable period would be significant for Cleveland’s defense. The team also has the likes of Mohamoud Diabate, Nathaniel Watson, Khaleke Hudson and Devin Bush as options to step into a larger role for the time being. At 2-6, the Browns face a long path to return to the postseason, but their chances of doing so would take a hit if Owusu-Koramoah were unable to return in the near future.