Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield intends to play Thursday night against the Denver Broncos.
Dealing with a left shoulder injury that was re-injured in Week 6, Mayfield told reporters Tuesday he expects to be on the field this week.
"It's my decision. I get to say whether I play or not, and that's just how it is," Mayfield said,
The quarterback didn't say whether he'd participate in today's practice.
"Today is better than yesterday, that's for sure," Mayfield said. "Just back to the basics, trying to get the inflammation down and see where it goes."
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said later that Mayfield will be limited in Tuesday's practice. Stefanski added that a decision on Cleveland's starting QB for Thursday evening has not been made and that in second-stringer Case Keenum and "all the backups," per the Associated Press.
Mayfield initially injured his non-throwing shoulder in Week 2 and re-hurt it in Sunday's loss. The QB missed several plays but returned to the game after taking a hit. Mayfield said the initial injury was a complete tear of the labrum.
"It's actually completely torn," Mayfield said. "There's some other stuff that's frayed within it. It's just one of those things … with shoulder injuries like that you try to stabilize it. Strengthen the muscles and ligaments around it to where you feel that stability and didn't have the likelihood of popping out as much nearly as much. So that's where I'm at right now. Luckily I've had a great guy working with me to be able to do those things. … It's managing that, and it's trying to prevent it from happening again. But on a fall like the game Sunday, anybody's shoulder probably would of popped out from how I felt. So it was kind of a freak deal."
The Browns are walking-wounded, with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt nursing calf injuries -- Chubb was ruled out against Denver on Tuesday, while Hunt was placed on injured reserve -- Odell Beckham hurting his shoulder, and both starting offensive tackles (Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin) injured. Cleveland listed 20 players on their estimated injury report on Monday, 10 of which would not have practiced, including Mayfield.
