"The Browns are near the end of their rope with running back Peyton Hillis and are prepared to let him walk in free agency after this season, NFL sources said.

At this point, it would take a dramatic turnaround in behavior and production for Hillis to persuade the Browns to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent in March.

"It's one thing after another, and what's been out there isn't even the half of it," one source said.

And now, Hillis is expected to miss at least a couple of more games after re-injuring his hamstring in practice Friday afternoon. Hillis had an MRI on Friday, and it showed a significant strain to his left hamstring. Hillis got hurt in the first 15 minutes of practice, which was open to the media.

On a run up the middle, Hillis came up limping and grabbed the back of his left leg. In dramatic fashion, he spiked the ball and then whipped his helmet to the ground.

Hillis limped off the field and stood hunched over in pain. Then he spent time talking to a trainer with his head down and his hands on his hips. Within a few minutes, he limped halfway toward the fieldhouse, stopped and was examined by the trainers.

He's listed as questionable on the official injury report but is not expected to play Sunday in Houston. Chris Ogbonnaya will replace him in the starting lineup, and newly signed Thomas Clayton will serve as a third-down back. "