The Browns‘ Thursday night victory over the Steelers has come with a cost. Linebacker and defensive captain Anthony Walker will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn quad during the game, CBS Sports NFL insider Josina Anderson has confirmed. The recovery period for Walker’s injury is projected at five to seven months, per ESPN.
Walker sustained the injury during the second half of Cleveland’s 29-17 win over Pittsburgh. He was carted off the field after being evaluated on the field by the team’s medical staff. Despite Walker’s absence, the Browns defense held the Steelers to just one field goal during the second half while recording the game’s final score on Denzel Ward’s fumble recovery in the end zone.
A six-year veteran, Walker broke into the NFL with the Colts as a fifth-round pick in the 2017 Draft. He became a full-time starter on defense during his second season while helping the Colts advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Walker spent two more years in Indianapolis before signing a one-year deal with the Browns in March 2021. Despite missing four games with an injury, Walker still managed to record 113 tackles during his first year in Cleveland.
Walker had 13 tackles and a league-high four tackles for loss this season prior to getting injured. Jacob Phillips, a 2020 third-round pick who has four regular-season starts under his belt, is slated to replace Walker in the starting lineup.
