https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/injuries/_/name/cle

Just to get us started.

Hoping Baker sits at least this week.

I think if Stefanski calls a ball control game, Case gets rid of the ball quick, we don't turn it over, and the defense does not allow wide open 70 yard bombs, we can eek this one out.

If Baker is not playing, and at least 90% against Cincinnati, we won't win that one...in fact we will lose regardless if the defense can't figure out how to cover top WRs.

I agree. I have to keep reminding myself that the important factor is actually NOT the injuries on offense, but more the defense (secondary) pulling its head out of its butt. Surgery may be required.

I think baker will be sitting this week again. Luckily we have a closer to full strength squad than last week

Even if chub is back I hope we limit his Carries. In fact I hope we start Johnson with chub playing sparingly. If the game is close or we are in the lead have chub get the bulk of his carries in the 4th quarter

j/c...

Chubb had 140 yards in the playoff win last year. 80, and 60. I don't want to limit him at all, as the Browns aren't in any position to get a playoff berth other than just about sweeping all division games.

It sounds like Baker’s more confident in himself playing than Chubb is

j/c...

God news...

That's phenomenal news. Steelers are always strong up front, so having the big boys back and healthy is arguably the biggest thing we can have go our way.

If Baker starts, he better make sure he stays in the pocket as much as he can and don't scramble unless absolutely necessary. Oh, and don't take any unnecessary hits and don't try to tackle a Defensive player.

j/c...

I honestly can see a slight hesitation when he flips his hips and momentum to throw it. Not saying he cant play, but I’d make sure he looks as close to himself as possible

It's also very hard to tell anything by viewing a single throw which was hand selected to show the public.

Here are more throws from practice...

Wonder what LeCounte did?

I don't see anything on the web...

He's not friends with Josh Gordon, is he?

I don't know, but I'm sure it will le count on his permanent record-

Think playing baker is a mistake. He needs to sit atleast 2 games. Let that fracture heal

I got a strong feeling Baker will be playing...you can't keep him away from this game! We will see how he recovers for the Bengal game. Conklin and Wills are back lets see how our OL pools their effort so to keep Baker Clean the entire game. Chubb and Landry I think will be playing also.

I D has to dominate we should have better control of the LOS

if the doctors say he's good to go, put him out there. not only does he give us a better chance than Case, but. we HAVE to keep pace with the bengals and ravens. losing to the steelers would be devastating.

having chubb and conklin back, and hopefully our two #1 receivers on the field is gonna help tremendously for bake. then after the season, take baker straight to the cleveland clinic and get the surgery done and over with.

Yeah if we lose this week our playoff chances plummet

Yep. A loss and the Browns are 0-1 in the division and sitting in the division basement. Additionally, the Benagls have an easy game this week and the Chiefs, whom the Browns are competing with for a WC spot have an easy game. Need the Titans to beat Indy and Chargers to beat the Colts as well.

A loss this week would certainly be a big blow to the playoff chances. A division title would be a pipe dream scenario.

If Baker is cleared medically, it's a no-brainer, tighten the harness and play him..

Don't the Bengals usually tear through October only to flame out spectacularly in November?

Lots of season left. Pitt was 'unbeatable' last season until they got beat.

That is all true.

However, the Bengals this year are not what the Steelers were last year.

Ben was going backwards and Burrow's is ascending. The Bengals are a good balanced team.

That does not mean that they are a real threat - yet. Long way to go as you said.

j/c...

Good to have Landry against ther ILBs

But it feels like we're playing Russian Roulette with our key players.

If they're cleared medically they should play.

Like the legendary Browns coordinator, Todd Haley, once said, "We can't live in our fears."

I posted something similar to this in another forum but it will be deleted soon so I'll post this here.

There is a very common theme among most athletes. I only played through high school but the rule applied to me also. You want to play at any cost. You believe you can play no matter what. You believe you can overcome anything and that unless you simply can't make the line up you believe that no matter the injury it will not hurt your performance. That you can still perform through anything. Baker has said he will not play only if his injury does not hurt the team. And I'm quite certain he believes that. It's how the mind of an athlete and true competitor works.

But we all witnessed how he was playing after the injury. We all witnessed how it hampered his performance and his accuracy. It's something that an unbiased eye can see. It's tangible. And no matter what we've all witnessed, I'm sure Baker believes otherwise.

That's why it's up to not only the team doctors to make certain calls, but also up to the coaches. I haven't seen the X Rays. Nor would I know what I was actually looking at in regards to the severity of the injury if I actually had seen them. But what I do know is that this injury is negatively impacting his play on the field. I would hate to see this injury aggravated or become more severe just because the powers that be sit back and allow Baker to make this call.

j/c...

More updates from today...

Ward is becoming a problem. He can't play a full season. People dogged Greedy, but he has filled in and played very well. Hopefully Newsome will not become another Ward, where he is constantly injured.

Agreed. Greedy is a pleasant surprise. Ward’s injury issues are becoming tiresome

Becoming??

You can't have enough CBs...ok Ward is hurt again as long as we got a good next man up then that is fine with me. Newsome, Ward, Greedy, Hill and climbing up the ladder is Green. Ward will get health and be back soon and our strength on D will grow! We are back to the chicken little syndrome...hey crap happens we have our doors covered.

Lol true

Greedy has definitely been a nice surprise this year. It took long enough, but it is very welcomed.
Ward... I'm just not seeing him get a new deal here. I hate saying that. I love that we have THREE very solid CBs, but the reality is that we will still have Newsome and Greedy, and we can draft one and let Ward go in free agency AND get the compensatory pick.

To use Berry's phrase, I think Ward has earned the right to find his value on the free market.

j/c...

Welp, let’s go Baker!

Sucks about DPJ. It seems like he’s got a fairly severe pull

Uh, I’ll call BS on this one, and I think this is incredibly stupid. We can beat Pittsburgh with Case and a smart game, if the defense is at least serviceable, which I think they will be with Ben’s weak arm.

We aren’t making the playoffs with all the high powered offenses late in the season without Baker at 90-100%.

I would not be surprised if he is out for good after the first grind into the turf from Watt.

One thing Riley did extremely well at OU is he saved Baker from himself. Stefanski has not figured that out yet.

2 Different sets up medical teams have cleared him and said he is good to go.... unless pple on the board have all of Bakers medical charts/xrays/mri results etc. leave it up to the medical teams. For the people bashing on Stefanski about the decision to play Baker let me repeat it for the ones in the back..... MEDICAL Team has cleared him.

And that sounds all fine and good. The question at that point becomes slightly more complicated. Are they clearing him to play with this week in mind only? Is the risk of further injury to his damaged shoulder being taken into consideration in the decision? You see, you can set your measurables on a current moment in time. You can also set your measurables based on the probability of the long term prognosis. Are they considering the further harm that may be done by being hit and the physical abuse that may be taken in an NFL game or simply on the injury as a snapshot at this time?

None of us really have the answer to those questions and for at least some of us that's a critical part of the equation.

Exactly.

Agreed. He's 'cleared' to play. Meaning, I assume, he is physically able to do what is required to play.

The flip side is, what about that one hit that might be coming that completely destroys the left arm, and puts him out for the year?

Problem is, the doctors can't account for that in clearing him.

Tough spot to be in. We need a win. He's cleared. Play him. Best outcome, no big hits, no further or increased injury. Worst outcome? We lose him for the rest of the year.

I'm no doctor, but the labrum won't heal itself, right? The fracture could take 4-6 weeks to heal, right?

But if you are going by the ole one hit could destroy his shoulder scenario you could say that about any hit to any player….. if medical team cleared him he is cleared…. Medical team won’t be a medical team for long if they are putting players at risk of further injury just for the sake of allowing Baker to play this week.

I have no idea about the injury other than what I've seen and I have no idea of the accuracy of those reports.

What I do know is a doctor can extrapolate the possibility of further injury based on contact and physical collisions like happen regularly in football. The only question is are they? And if they are, are they telling us about it?

Yet there is zero chance that the risks are the same for a healthy shoulder as an injured shoulder.

Baker is also playing for a contract. Is that a factor?

Certainly for him. But this is(should be) a team decision. And unless he can play like week 1, I think it is a bad personal move too.

Only thing is Baker is going to have a target on his left shoulder. Do you think the teams we play are going to try and avoid that shoulder?

No I don't. The object of any competition is to exploit the weakness of your opponent. An already injured shoulder is a prime target for your opposition. That only increases the risk of a longer and more serious injury.

Has he earned the right? I don't think so. He's been hurt more often than not and not as effective as he initially was when drafted. Geez, he was drafted at #4; you simply don't let those guys walk.

He's had enough time to find out his value. The value of a cb that isn't available much of the time.

A longer week off and our injury report still looks like War and Peace

LeCounte must have really pist off someone.

I heard he stole all of Cookie Monsters cookies AND Oscar’s trash.

Took me a second. then I spit out my coffee. You owe me a new keyboard.

Is Lecounte the first player to be disciplined by Stefanski (at least that we know of)?

Openly/publicly, I think so. I can't recall another, anyway.

in the first 4
or the first 5
or the first 6 divisional games of last year, in 2020. Mayfield, had an int. in each game.

Now This year. If feels like they are coaching the interceptions out of Mayfield, BUT! Are they ALSO, coaching the big plays and touchdowns out of Baker also.