Browns tight end Gary Barnidge has sports hernia surgery

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson told reporters Thursday morning that tight end Gary Barnidge had sports hernia surgery today. Barnidge was missing from the OTA session open to the public in Berea on Wednesday, and when asked about it at the time, Jackson told reporters that he had an "excused absence."

The good thing is that the surgery isn't expected to prevent Barnidge from participating in training camp, which typically starts in late-July. The following quotes were made by Jackson at the Browns Foundation Golf outing, as relayed by Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer:

"He had the best doctor and he will be back and ready to go at training camp. I'm glad that we're dealing with this now, so that we can get it behind us and get him back to where he needs to be. And me knowing him, he'll be chomping at the bit way before time, but we'll slow him down and make sure he's ready to go. ... I don't think there's any concern if he's not going to be ready to go or anything like that."

Barnidge won't be able to participate drills at the team's mandatory minicamp next week from June 7-9.