CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a right shoulder injury during Sunday's 17-13 loss to the Panthers and will be evaluated day-to-day, a league source confirmed.

The injury could thrust rookie quarterback Connor Shaw into the starting lineup for Sunday's season finale in Baltimore.

With Johnny Manziel suffering a pulled hamstring late in the first half, the Browns are expected to activate Shaw, the undrafted free agent from South Carolina, off the practice squad.

With the top two quarterbacks ailing, Shaw could very well get the start for the 7-8 Browns. He's been on their practice squad all year.

Hoyer's shoulder injury was first reported by Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports.

He suffered the injury on a 7-yard sack late in the game when Kawann Short blew past a double-team of Joel Bitonio and Nick McDonald and planted Hoyer's shoulder into the turf.

Short -- all 315 pounds of him -- then fell right on Hoyer's shoulder.

He got up slowly and said he couldn't breathe afterwards. The Browns had to take a time out so he could shake it off, but he remained in the game.

The Browns did not report Hoyer's injury after the game and have not yet confirmed the report. The extent of Hoyer's injury is unknown, as is that of Manziel.



Hoyer replaced Manziel with 1:49 left in the second quarter, and rallied the Brown to 10 straight points for a 13-10 lead with 9:59 left in the game. He produced the biggest play of the season when he found Jordan Cameron wide open over the middle for a catch and run that went for an 81-yard touchdown.



Hoyer was hit upon release and did not even see Cameron take it to the house. But when he realized he did, he jumped into the arms of tackle Mitchell Schwartz to celebrate.



"That was probably the first time I smiled on a football field in the last month, so it felt good,'' said Hoyer.

Hoyer threw a pick on his next play, but Travis Benjamin bailed him out by forcing a fumble on the return. Hoyer drove to midfield with a chance to win the game, but Bitonio and McDonald let Short through for the crushing sack.

Despite being in pain, Hoyer remained in the game for one more play, completing an 8-yard pass on third and 21 to Josh Gordon before Spencer Lanning trotted out to punt.

"Kyle Shanahan in my helmet said 'you need to be able to get up, you have no other choice,''' said Hoyer. "I just couldn't breathe. The guy hit me, and pinged me and when you have all of that mass come down on you, it's hard to breath for a second or two. I wasn't going to be able to even call the play, I couldn't even breathe to.

"The play was getting in a bit little later, we were changing personnel so we had to take a time out right then and there, so to let me catch my breath and at least get our best play call that we could for third and 20, whatever it might be.''

Browns coach Mike Pettine will address the media on a conference call at 4 p.m.