Baker Mayfield isn't feeling great right now, and it's not just because his team lost another game.
Mayfield took the postgame podium Sunday night following the Browns' 37-14 loss to the Cardinals with his left arm in a sling after injuring his left shoulder for a second time this season. When asked how his shoulder was feeling, Mayfield was blunt.
"It feels like s---," Mayfield told reporters, via The Athletic's Zac Jackson.
Mayfield exited Sunday's loss in pain for a second time this season due to another issue related to his left shoulder. Mayfield landed awkwardly on his left arm after he was strip-sacked by J.J. Watt and writhed in pain on the ground, eventually heading to the tent for examination in the third quarter. He returned without missing a play, but wasn't able to lead the Browns to an improbable comeback.
Another injury-filled game for the Browns included their quarterback, and he'll be one of a trio of key players -- running back Kareem Hunt (calf) and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (ankle) being the other two -- headed for an MRI Monday.
When asked if the latest shoulder issue felt worse than the initial injury, Mayfield downplayed the severity.
"Probably. MRI tomorrow, so we'll be able to find out more," Mayfield said.
The quarterback suffered a partially torn labrum in Cleveland's Week 2 win over Houston and has worn a harness intended to limit his range of motion since then. The harness wasn't able to keep Mayfield from landing on the shoulder at a vulnerable angle, though, leading to another dislocation, according to Mayfield, who added the shoulder "slipped" out of socket again later on a non-contact play.
Shoulder slips aren't uncommon for those with a labrum tear and associated instability. Mayfield said he intends to play in Cleveland's Thursday night game against Denver, though the Browns will wait for additional information gleaned via Monday's MRI before making an official decision.
At 3-3, the Browns have been battered by the injury bug in the last two weeks. Mayfield was forced to play behind two backups at tackle Sunday and without receiver Jarvis Landry, who hasn't been available since early in Week 2. Cleveland's injury report continues to grow with Hunt's calf injury, the severity of which is not yet known.
The Browns will hope their quarterback can manage the pain associated with his ailing shoulder and suit up for their prime-time game against the Broncos. They'll have to make everything else work around him in the meantime.
