Baker Mayfield updates health status ahead of Steelers matchup

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield practiced on Wednesday and said playing on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers is “absolutely” a possibility.

“There’s not a certain number of reps that I specifically need,” he said. “You saw last week that Case on a short week got very minimum reps as well and did absolutely great. So I think there’s a lot of what ifs, but we’re just going to take it day by day.”

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed the sentiment.

“We’ll see how he does at practice and we’ll take it day-by-day,” Stefanski said on Wednesday.

“(Mayfield) will get a bunch of (first-team) reps and Case will get some reps,” Stefanski said. “I don’t know the specific number. It will be like we normally do.”

Baker Mayfield aggravated his injured left shoulder in the Browns’ 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Oklahoma product originally tore the labrum in his left shoulder attempting to tackle Texans safety Justin Reid in Week 2. Mayfield later revealed to Fox NFL Sunday host Jay Glazer that he not only has a torn labrum in his left shoulder but also a fractured humerus.

Mayfield will likely require offseason surgery to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder, providing he doesn’t need the fractured humerus bone or other bones repaired.

“I’m not exactly a doctor, I don’t know how long it takes for those things to heal,” Mayfield said on Wednesday, “but it was mostly about the inflammation so I could get that range of motion and that strength back.”

Mayfield has been adamant to play, even pushing to start in Week 7 against the Broncos. The Oklahoma product took all the first-team reps in practice the Tuesday leading up to the game, but due to the quick turnaround with the Browns playing on Thursday Night Football, was ultimately shut down. Mayfield’s streak of 51 consecutive regular-season starts and 53 overall, the second-longest streak in Browns history, ended as Case Keenum got the start against the Broncos.

This season through six games, Mayfield has thrown for 1,474 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions with a 67.1 completion percentage leading the Browns to a 3-3 record in games he played.

Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018, helped lead Cleveland to its first playoff appearance in 17 seasons last season. Now in his fourth season in the league, Mayfield has thrown for 12,589 yards, 81 touchdowns and 46 interceptions in his Browns career.