Browns DE Marcus Benard out for season after motorcycle accident; placed on reserve/non-football injury list

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The Browns have placed defensive end Marcus Benard, who broke his hand in a motorcycle accident Monday, on the reserve/non-football injury list, the team announced this afternoon. Benard is out for the season.

The Browns also signed defensive end Auston English, who has been a member of the team's practice squad throughout the regular season, to fill Benard's spot on the 53-man roster. Defensive lineman Kiante Tripp was added to the Browns' practice squad to fill English's spot.

Benard, 26,  was charged with driving under a suspended license and reckless operation after he lost control of his three-wheeled motorcycle Monday and hit a guardrail alongside Interstate 71 in Brooklyn. Benard, who's pictured to the left, is still in the hospital and will remain there overnight, a Browns spokesman said tonight.

The Browns can decide whether or not to pay Benard as long as he's on the reserve/non-football injury list. In late July, Benard, who is in his third season with the Browns, signed a one-year tender as exclusive-rights free agent. He is scheduled to make a base salary of $525,000 this season, or nearly $31,000 per week.

Benard played in four games this season as the backup right end in the Browns' 4-3 defense. He had two tackles and a half sack, plus another tackle on special teams.

English had four sacks in the preseason.Tripp spent training camp with the Atlanta Falcons after signing as an undrafted free agent.