Cleveland Browns Outside Linebacker Quentin Groves Placed On Injured Reserve

If there is one solitude that Bengals fans can find in the long list of important injuries that they have sustained, it has to be in that they aren't the only club dealing with these issues. The Bengals might be heading into a divisional clash with the Cleveland Browns this week with a few more players returning from an injury, but their foe will be without an important rotational defensive player.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, outside linebacker and pass-rushing specialist Quentin Groves has been placed on Injured Reserve. He had been dealing with an ankle injury from a Week Two matchup against the Ravens and ironically, a major injury occurred seven weeks later to the ankle in the second game against Baltimore. He will require surgery and is done for 2013.

As the backup to free agent acquisition Paul Kruger, Groves had two sacks on the season and was an important player in the Browns' fifth-ranked defensive unit. Linebacker and team leader D'Qwell Jackson chimed in on the significance of the loss of Groves:

"It's huge, man, because he's the energy guy,'' said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. "He's a guy that brings energy in practice, throughout the week, he knows the system and he's productive when he's the ballgame. The game he came back, he got a sack. So he's productive and you can't replace a guy like that. You're going to miss his energy above all. He's always the same guy. You can see him walking around the locker room, he's always laughing and joking. It's a big blow to us. Now the younger guys will get more reps and good teams find a way. ''

Groves signed a two-year deal for $2.28 million this offseason with the Browns. He was a second round pick by the Jaguars in 2008 and has had stints with the Raiders and Cardinals after two years in Jacksonville. He was also Cleveland's special teams captain this season.