| | Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns coach Chris Palmer said Sunday
he probably will wait until other NFL teams reduce their rosters to
find a backup for quarterback Tim Couch in the wake of Ty Detmer's
season-ending injury.
Detmer was lost for the season Saturday night when he ruptured
an Achilles tendon during Cleveland's 19-6 loss to the Chicago
Bears.
Detmer, a nine-year veteran, was changing directions while
scrambling out of the pocket in the second quarter when he went
down. He will undergo surgery on Monday and will need 6-to-8 months
of rehabilitation.
Palmer said it was too early to determine whether the injury to
the 32-year-old Detmer was career threatening.
Detmer opened last season as the Browns' starting quarterback
before being replaced in Week 2 by Couch. Detmer was again the
starter in the final game of the season against Indianapolis after
Couch severely sprained an ankle in Week 15.
The loss of Detmer leaves rifle-armed rookie Spergon Wynn as the
backup to Couch, who has had an inconsistent training camp and
exhibition season so far.
Couch was hoping to silence his critics after a poor first
outing against Philadelphia in the preseason opener, but threw
three interceptions in the loss to the Bears. He was 11-of-19 for
81 yards and the three interceptions.
"He did some good things and he missed some things," said
Palmer, who has been supportive of his starting QB amid the
criticism. "I would be more upset if he wasn't throwing to the
right spots with the ball, but he is."
Palmer said after reviewing an emergency list of available
quarterbacks that he would wait until the roster cuts on Aug. 22
and 27 to find a backup for Couch.
"We're in a situation where it has to be a good fit," Palmer
said, "because right now we have a good situation in that locker
room."
Wynn was selected in the sixth round (183rd overall) by the
Browns this year out of Southwest Texas State. In extended time
against the Bears, he was 9-of-26 for 79 yards and had three rushes
for 22 yards.
Palmer said it's unlikely the Browns would attempt to go through
the season with Wynn as the No. 2 quarterback.
"We don't want to put somebody into something before they're
ready," Palmer said.
Meanwhile, Palmer said wide receiver Kevin Johnson may miss this
Saturday's home game against the Washington Redskins because of a
hamstring injury. Johnson has not practiced in more than a week.
The Browns also lost backup offensive tackle Jeremy McKinney for
the season in the loss to the Bears. McKinney tore a ligament in
his right knee.
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