The Cleveland Browns thought enough of Ryan Seymour that they started him at center when they held Alex Mack out of the intrasquad scrimmage at Ohio State.
Eventually Cam Erving will be the Browns backup center. But when the league announced Monday that Seymour would be suspended for four games, the Browns lost the guy listed today as the backup.
This suspension might not mean much in the grand picture. If Alex Mack doesn't get hurt last season, Seymour would have never started a game. If Mack doesn't get hurt this season and if Erving can play, the suspension will mean little.
Seymour figures to be part of the team's depth, probably the seventh or eighth or ninth lineman. Now the Browns won't have him for four games, but they're four games they might not have planned to have him anyway.
The suspension, though, fits a pattern of annoyances that have arisen here and there in training camp. Every team has them, mind you, but the Browns sure seem to have have had more than their fair share.
Injuries first blew up the running back group. An injury slowed Terrelle Pryor's move to receiver. More injuries blew up the cornerback group. Dwayne Bowe is sidelined with a hamstring, as is Pierre Desir, who got off to such a good start. Duke Johnson -- a main hope of the coaching staff -- has not practiced since Aug. 1. The defense was run over by Washington. Justin Gilbert has had more than his share of struggles. Connor Shaw, the third quarterback, is done for the season. The Bills, by all accounts, had the serious edge in the team's joint practices.
Now Seymour will miss four games.
At some point the expectation is that this camp and preseason will spark and take off.
To date, it's been a string of annoyances amidst the routine of daily practice.
Seymour's is just the latest.