BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis will miss his sixth consecutive game with a hamstring injury.
Hillis hasn't played since being hurt Oct. 16 at Oakland, and on Monday, Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur ruled the bruising running back out for this Sunday's game at Cincinnati.
Hillis rushed for nearly 1,200 yards in his Browns debut last season. Shurmur remains "hopeful" Hillis will return at some point this season, but he doesn't know when.
"Based on what he's rehabbing, his hamstring, I'd anticipate that he'll be back soon," Shurmur said. "I can't tell you yet exactly, that's the thing. Each guy's different."
Running back Montario Hardesty practiced last week, but he was kept out of his third game in a row with a calf injury. The Browns are being extra cautious with Hardesty, who missed his rookie season after undergoing major knee surgery.
"For those of us who walk, a calf is no big deal," Shurmur said. "But if you're a runner, you have to make sure it's right."
Shurmur said quarterback Colt McCoy had general soreness and didn't undergo any further medical tests after taking a beating Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"He's fine," Shurmur said. "He got banged around a little bit. It was his shoulder, but he's fine. We didn't go through any major evaluation."
Also, Browns fullback Owen Marecic sustained a concussion in Sunday's win over Jacksonville. Shurmur doesn't know Marecic's status for this week's game.
Safety T.J. Ward also will miss his third consecutive game with a sprained foot. Ward is in a protective boot and said Sunday that he expects to be back "in a few weeks."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
