After announcing veteran quarterback Joe Flacco as their starter earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns used Saturday’s preseason finale as a warmup for the 2025 campaign.
Despite using their starters for a limited number of series, the team could not escape the contest without a significant injury.
Analyst Zac Jackson revealed the severity of that injury on X following Saturday’s game, suggesting that a key Browns player may be shelved for the season opener.
“Ethan Pocic left the locker room with a brace on his left leg. He suffered a knee injury on the second series today,” Jackson shared on social media.
Ethan Pocic left the locker room with a brace on his left leg. He suffered a knee injury on the second series today.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 23, 2025
Pocic was one of the few healthy Browns linemen last season, starting in 16 contests for Cleveland during 2024.
Since arriving in Cleveland before the 2022 campaign, Pocic has started in all 44 games he has played, but the center has yet to play every game in a season with the AFC North franchise.
Pocic has played eight NFL seasons since being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
He was slated to be a big part of Cleveland’s retooled offense this season as the Browns are returning to a run-oriented offense that helped the team make the playoffs in 2023.
Pocic’s potential absence will leave a hole that either backup Bucky Williams or Luke Wypler could be asked to fill.
Wypler did that in 2023 during his rookie season, playing in five games while starting one in place of Pocic.
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