Browns LB Chris Gocong loses season with Achilles tear

What was feared has become a sad reality for the Browns.

Weak-side LB Chris Gocong suffered a season-ending right Achilles tear in practice Saturday morning. The injury occurred as he attempted to cover TE Jordan Cameron on a pass play in the end zone during team drills.

"We're disappointed he got hurt," coach Pat Shurmur said. "I'm very fond of Chris and the effort he puts into being a good football players. Any time a good football player gets hurt, unfortunately there's a loss there. The challenge for us is to cover it up with the guys that are on this roster. I talked to Chris; he's fine."

Kaluka Maiava and rookie James-Michael Johnson are the two leading candidates to replace Gocong, though Shurmur said in his morning press conference that the team will look into possible help from outside the organization. The Browns lack experienced depth at that position.

The Browns had already lost starting DT Phil Taylor to pectoral surgery, but he's expected back by midseason. OLB Scott Fujita will likely miss the first three games of the season to a suspension for his alleged role in Bountygate.

Stay dialed in on the Cleveland Browns on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLCLE throughout the season with on-site updates from CBSSports.com RapidReports correspondent Marty Gitlin.