CLEVELAND — Browns fans can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief as defensive back Denzel Ward returned to the practice field Wednesday after leaving Sunday’s game.
Ward has been battling a neck injury, which limited his participation in practice heading into last Sunday’s game against the Chargers. Fellow defensive back Greg Newsome also returned to practice. He has been out with a calf injury. Their participation was considered “limited,” and it is unclear how likely they’ll play on Sunday.
With Ward out of the lineup for much of Sunday’s game, and Newsome out for the entire contest, the Chargers’ offense pounded the Browns’ defense in Cleveland’s 47-42 and defeat.
A number of Browns were held off the practice field on Wednesday, including running backs Nick Chubb (calf) and Kareem Hunt (wrist and knee), tight end David Njoku (knee) and defensive linemen Jadeveon Clowney (elbow and knee) and Myles Garrett (knee and ankle). Coach Kevin Stafanski was not ruling the players out for Sunday.
“I do not think we are being cautious with any of our guys. I just think we are trying to be smart about it,” Stefanski said.
Meanwhile, Browns rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah said he is feeling better after going to the hospital for a neck contusion following Sunday’s game.
“Just my helmet kind of went into my neck and pushed it back a little bit,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “It was more precautionary after the game to go to the hospital and stay overnight, making sure that everything was OK, but I am good.”
As the Browns’ defense works toward getting healthy, defenders will face someone who is familiar to quarterback Baker Mayfield. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray and Mayfield were teammates at Oklahoma.
Murray was Mayfield’s backup in 2017 when Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy. After Mayfield left for the NFL, Murray led Oklahoma in 2018 and won a Heisman, too. Officially, it was the first time since the 40s that two players from the same school won the Heisman Trophy back to back years.
“We were surrounded by great teammates, great scheme and obviously good coaching down there at Oklahoma,” Mayfield said. “There is an extremely high standard. They try to live up to each day, and that is what it is. That is why it has been the powerhouse for so long and it continues to be that way. Kyler, it was pretty fun to have him in the same quarterback room. That is obviously a tremendous player.”
Murray leads the NFL with 16 passing touchdowns, and is sixth in passing yardage with 1,512.
