BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' high hopes for linebacker Scott Solomon were never fulfilled.
Solomon hurt his ankle in the season opener and sprained a knee in the win over Baltimore on Sunday. He was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season.
Whether Solomon could have helped the Browns woeful run defense (31st in the league at 149.4 yards per game) can be debated. What can't is that defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil gushed so much about Solomon during the offseason it seemed like the Browns had brought Dick Butkus back in his prime. Solomon was going to "set the edge" (to use the popular vernacular), as O'Neil said running at Solomon was going to be like a car wreck.
He didn't even last one series in the opener or a half against Baltimore.
Without him, the team gives every indication of being in defensive scramble mode. Barkevious Mingo and Paul Kruger started the opener outside, with rookie Nate Orchard inactive. But to compensate for Solomon's loss the Browns moved Kruger from weakside to strongside. O'Neil said that's move only applies to the base defense, but Kruger's play seems to have suffered.
The guy who had 11 sacks last season has 11 tackles through five games -- and one-half a sack. In Baltimore, Kruger saw his playing time reduced. He was on the field for 28 of 70 plays (40 percent) while Orchard started on the weak side and saw 43 snaps, second highest among the linebackers. Orchard started after not being active for the season opener as the Browns clearly searched for a solution outside. Mingo? He was given four snaps.
It might seem like the Browns solved one issue by creating another when they moved Kruger, and Kruger's statements about the move have not shown great enthusiasm. Asked earlier this season why he moved, he said it might have been injury but couldn't give a concrete answer.
Prior to joining the Browns late last season, Solomon had played for three teams without a start. He'd been cut five times, but caught the Browns coaching staff's eye when he was thrown in the final two games in 2014, then earned starter's status in the offseason.
His injuries seem to have created a domino effect that the coaching staff is still trying to solve.