Browns' Taylor to have surgery

May 11, 2012 - 10:31 PM Berea, OH (Sports Network) - Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur revealed on Friday that Phil Taylor will need surgery after the defensive tackle tore his left pectoral muscle on Thursday.

Taylor, a first-round draft pick in 2011, was injured while lifting weights during a team training program.

The 6-foot-3, 335-pound Taylor started all 16 games last season for the Browns and racked up 59 tackles to go with four sacks.

"I think anytime you lose a starter, I think it provides opportunity for other guys to fill in," Shurmur said. "We never want to lose a player. Unfortunately, at this point, Phil has to deal with what professional athletes have to deal with sometime and that's going through a surgery, going through a rehab and then coming back stronger than ever. I talked to him yesterday and today. His mood is good, he understands it and we'll get him fixed up and get him back."

The injury could force Taylor to miss the entire 2012 season.

"It's too early to speculate. Typically with these surgeries, the rehab is months so I don't want to say exactly. I don't want to cancel him out for the year, no," Shurmur said.