CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – It appears the Browns are getting healthier, and just in time for the critical stretch run.
Cornerback Denzel Ward, receiver KhaDarel Hodge and tight end Austin Hooper returned to practice Wednesday.
Ward had been sidelined since suffering a calf strain against the Eagles Nov. 22 causing him to miss the last three games while Hooper missed Monday night’s game due to a neck injury.
“We’ll see where Denzel is throughout this week,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We’ll take that day by day.”
Hodge missed the last two games after suffering a hamstring injury during practice prior to the Titans game.
All three players were limited Wednesday according to the team’s injury report.
Good Hands – Kareem Hunt led the Browns with 77 receiving yards Monday night against the Ravens and was one of three players to catch six passes in the loss.
His ability to catch the football has given Stefanski another weapon to throw at opposing defenses and quarterback Baker Mayfield another target to aim for.
“He has great hands,” Mayfield said. “He can adjust to the ball while it is in the air much like a receiver can, which is very rare for running backs. The out-and-up he ran and caught it right down there by the end zone, that is not an easy catch to make.
“He is a great playmaker for us. Yeah, his receiving ability is a big part of our offense.”
Hunt caught his fifth touchdown of the season Monday and he’s averaging over 8 yards per catch in 2020.
Max Protection – Monday’s game marked the fifth time this season that Mayfield wasn’t sacked.
Opponents have taken Mayfield down 17 times in 2020 compared to the 65 sacks he endured his first two seasons combined.
“I love those boys up front,” Mayfield said. “We have great guys. One guy goes down, and the next guy steps up. We have a great group of men in there, and I appreciate them so much. For them to go out there and play a team like Baltimore who prides himself on bringing pressures, bringing blitzes, different packages and hitting home and hitting the quarterback a lot, for our guys to go out there, including the backs on that to protect me like that, it is unbelievable. We have a great group that is extremely focused and they play with each other right now.”
Mamba Mentality – Linebacker B.J. Goodson didn’t want to dwell much on what went wrong against the Ravens late that allowed Baltimore to score 10 quick points offensively down the stretch and rack up nearly 500 yards in total offense.
When asked about their problems Monday night, Goodson reflected on one of his favorite athletes’ approach to dealing with failure.
“Kobe Bryant is my favorite basketball player of all time,” Goodson said. “They have those Christmas games, and I would want them to win. Sometimes they would not win those Christmas games, and at the end of those games, I would see Kobe on the bench. Instead of moping, he would be over there teaching. Whenever they took him out, he would be over there teaching, and it was always about the next. Therefore, I think in his mind he never lost; it was always a learning opportunity.
I just take that in my process and the way that I process things. I am not one to go backwards much. Just correct it and move on. That is kind of how I operate.”
Teller DNP – Right guard Wyatt Teller did not practice Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury Monday night in the 47-42 loss to the Ravens.
Teller was injured during Baker Mayfield’s 5-yard touchdown run with 6:33 remaining in the fourth quarter when Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison fell into Teller after being blocked by running back Kareem Hunt.
Chris Hubbard replaced him in the lineup for the five remaining snaps of the night.
The injury is unrelated to the calf strain that caused Teller to mis three games earlier this season according to Stefanski.
Injury Report – DNP: S Andrew Sendejo (concussion), RG Wyatt Teller (ankle); LIMITED: RT Jack Conklin (knee), KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring), TE Austin Hooper (neck), CB Kevin Johnson (groin), DT Larry Ogunjobi (toe), CB M.J. Stewart (shoulder), CB Denzel Ward (calf), C JC Tretter (knee); FULL: DE Myles Garrett (elbow), WR Jarvis Landry (hip),