Baker Mayfield's left labrum is completely torn, but the quarterback says he still expects to play Thursday night against the Denver Broncos. (USA Today)
Baker Mayfield not ruled out after aggravating ‘completely’ torn labrum in left shoulder
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
Baker Mayfield’s labrum in his non-throwing shoulder was completely torn in Game 2, the quarterback said, and it’s feeling worse after aggravating it Sunday against the Cardinals.
But after doctors examined MRIs, Mayfield has not been ruled out of Thursday night’s game against the Broncos.
The Browns and Mayfield will gauge how he is able to throw wearing shoulder pads over a protective harness. And then the decision to play will come down to one person, Mayfield said.
“It’s my decision,” he said. “I get to say whether I’m able to play or not. That’s just how it is.”
Mayfield wouldn’t divulge what the medics have told him about the risk of further injury to his left shoulder. He said it comes down to “pain tolerance” and said he wouldn’t play if he felt he would hurt the team’s effort to curb its two-game losing streak.
“Obviously, if I was in a physical state where I was not able to play to the best of my abilities and I was hurting the team, I would not do that because I care about winning, and I want to give this team the best position to do that,” he said. “I want to be out there. I want to get healthy. I want to deal with it. That is just what it is about.
“I think whenever you decide to get some of these reps, get the pads on and simulate some of these game throws, if I am not able to do and be 100 percent, that is where I would be out. I have to make that decision. Only I know how my body feels. If anyone questions whether I am hindering the team and going out there injured, that is just not right.”
Mayfield saved his throwing on Tuesday until after media were escorted out of practice.
Coach Kevin Stefanski would not tip his hand about playing Mayfield or inserting backup Case Keenum.
He declined to answer when asked if there was a scenario where Keenum would start and Mayfield would dress and be available to play as a backup. The Browns’ third quarterback on the practice squad is Nick Mullens.
Mayfield has not missed a game because of injury since 2013 at Texas Tech. He has made 53 consecutive starts for the Browns, including two post-season games last year.
“You guys know Baker,” Stefanski said. “He’s a fighter. He’s as tough as they come. I expect him to fight like crazy to get to Thursday. I think that’s a great message to our entire team. We’ve talked about that as a team. These Thursday night games, you have to fight, scratch and claw. It’s hard. But it’s hard for both teams.”
Stefanski would not say how the availability of starting tackles Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin, neither of whom practiced on Tuesday after missing Sunday’s game, would factor into his starting quarterback decision. Stefanski would not rule out either player from playing on Thursday night.
“All of this, we take it all into account when making these decisions,” Stefanski said.
Stefanski said he would make the decision “in the next 48 hours.”
Mayfield wouldn’t say if doctors have told him surgery would be necessarily eventually to repair the torn labrum in the left shoulder.
“What I decide and what our team decides, the people I trust, is going to be wholeheartedly for the best of my interests in mind. We’ll talk about it and go from there,” he said.
In, out and maybe
The only player on the Browns’ lengthy injury list who has been ruled for Thursday is running back Nick Chubb (calf).
Everybody else is a possibility to play, including receiver Jarvis Landry (knee) who has not yet been activated from injured reserve.
Players who did not participate in the light practice on Tuesday included receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), Wills (ankle), Conklin (knee), defensive tackle Malik Jackson (knee), cornerback A.J. Green (shoulder/groin), and center JC Tretter (knee).
Injured reserve moves
As expected running back Kareem Hunt (calf) and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (high ankle) were moved to injured reserve. They are eligible to come back after three weeks but it is more likely to be 4-to-6 for each.
Hunt injured the right calf without contact on the failed fourth-down pass to Odell Beckham Jr. at the Arizona 7 with 12:10 left in the fourth quarter.
Hunt was filling in for Nick Chubb, who suffered a calf injury in the Chargers game. Hunt was second on the team with 361 rushing yards (5.2 average), first with 20 receptions and led the Browns with five touchdowns.
“It’s tough to lose a guy like that,” Mayfield said. “He’s high-energy guy. He hates not being out there. He’s a football guy, he wants to be out there playing. That’s where you saw just the raw emotion after his calf got hurt. It wasn’t the pain for him. It was realizing he’s going to be out for a little bit.
“That hurts, from a spark standpoint … explosiveness on offense. But we’re coaching our next guy up to get ready to go. We’re going to have to prepare with whoever we have out there.”
D'Ernest is ernest for first start
With Chubb not ready to play, the Browns will turn to No. 3 back D’Ernest Johnson and utility rookie Demetric Felton.
Johnson said, “I am very excited. First time getting a chance to start. It is always a dream come true.
“[Chubb and Hunt] basically just told me to go out there and play my ball. Just go out there and do what I do. Just play my game.”
The Browns also re-signed John Kelly, who led the team in preseason with 87 yards rushing and one TD.
Owusu-Koramoah, the second-round draft pick taken to add speed and tackling to the linebacking corps, was a starter in five of the six games. He led the defense with 27 tackles and was credited with ½ sack, four passes defensed and one forced fumble.
