BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Baker Mayfield will start Sunday against the Steelers following a third consecutive day of practicing and being medically cleared to do so.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made the announcement following practice Friday.
“He will play, he will start,” Stefanski said. “He’s met all the requirements medically. Feel good about that, that process and how that went.”
Mayfield continues to wear a Douglas Pro Arm Restraint on his left shoulder, which is designed to limit “the range of motion for players suffering from chronic shoulder separations and/or dislocations” according to the manufacturer.
The harness and injury are not factors according to Stefanski.
“Functionally he’s 100 percent,” Stefanski said.
Friday morning, Mayfield continued to throw with accuracy and velocity, and he moved his left arm around much more than he had the previous two days.
“Medically he’s ready to go,” Stefanski said. “Our doctors, our trainers, the second opinions felt very comfortable about that and Baker, he feels that he’s ready and he feels like he’s ready to help this team win.”
Mayfield had his consecutive games started streak – the second-longest in team history – snapped at 53 games, including playoffs, last week when he was inactive for a 17-14 win over the Broncos.
Mayfield dislocated his left shoulder and suffered a fracture of the humerus bone when Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt strip-sacked him in the third quarter of a 37-14 loss. He tore his left labrum September 19 against the Texans when he got hit while trying to make a tackle following an interception.
While Mayfield might have been cleared medically, the injury will likely linger throughout the remainder of the season.
“I think with any player that’s dealing with an injury, I think there is always going to be an element to the training room, for sure,” Stefanski said.
