BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is not practicing Wednesday in hopes of letting several injuries heal so he can play this week against the winless Detroit Lions.
Mayfield has played most of the season with a torn labrum and fracture in his left, non-throwing shoulder. He suffered a bruised right knee in Sunday’s loss to New England, which came a week after he hurt his left foot at Cincinnati.
“This is probably the most beat up I’ve ever been in my career, and it’s not like it’s one particular thing, it’s multiple,” said Mayfield, who limped slightly as he walked to the podium to speak with reporters.
”It’s just that time of year.”
But it’s also a critical stretch for the Browns (5-5), whose playoff hopes are fading with each loss.
After playing the Lions (0-8-1), they’ll begin a unique three-week stretch in which they’ll face Baltimore, get their bye, and play the Ravens (6-3) again with perhaps the AFC North on the line.
At this point, Mayfield plans to play again this week — he missed one game with the shoulder injury — but said he won’t push things by practicing.
“There’s no reason to make things worse if I don’t need to,” he said. “I have plenty of time until Sunday, so we’ll see what happens.”
The injuries have played a role in Mayfield’s inconsistency. He posted a 132.6 passer rating on Nov. 7 against the Bengals, but last week went just 11 for 21 for a career-low 73 yards before leaving with the knee injury.
He has just nine touchdown passes in nine games and acknowledged the injuries have affected his play.
“Yeah, there’s definitely a couple plays where I look back and say I should have used my feet here and there, but you have to adapt,” Mayfield said. “Nobody is going to feel bad for you. It’s not an excuse. You just have to find a way to make a play.”
NOTES: NFL sacks leader DE Myles Garrett is also missing practice because of an unspecified personal matter. … WRs Jarvis Landry (knee) and Anthony Schwartz (concussion), CBs A.J. Green (concussion) and Troy Hill (neck) and DT Malik Jackson (knee) are not practicing as well.
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