BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns received a scare on Tuesday when four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward left practice with what looked as a shoulder injury. Ward did not finish practice, and the concern level was high as the Browns have already lost starting cornerback Martin Emerson to a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon.
Ward was not seen on the field during the early portion of practice open to the media. Kevin Stefanski later referred to the cornerback as "day-to-day".
"Doing well," Stefanski said. "Expecting to be out here, back out there pretty soon."
Myles Garrett sounded as though Ward should be alright.
"He's as important as it gets," Garrett said before practice when asked about Ward. "I'm glad to see him come back in the building and doing well, but we just have to be careful and take care of ourselves and pick our brothers up and we can."
Ward is a key core player on the defense, as well as the team and the position is already lacking depth due to Emerson's injury and a shoulder injury to Greg Newsome, which has kept him limited in practice since Aug. 1.
Denzel Ward (Photo: Getty, 247Sports)
Newsome has been practicing on a limited basis and was on the field some during 11-on-11s on Tuesday.
Ward, 28, was injured early in practice on Tuesday during a one-on-one drill. He fell on his right arm as he was guarding wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in a one-on-one drill when he came down on his shoulder. He spent several minutes trying to work the pain out himself, while staying in for an early 11-on-11 drill.
Ward was checked by the medical staff and walked back onto the field to try to continue practicing, before going back inside the training facility with a member of the athletic training staff.
On Tuesday night, Jordan Schultz reported Ward was undergoing more tests, but the injury wasn't believed to be serious.
The Browns are already thin at corner after Emerson was lost for the season on July 29 with a torn Achilles tendon. Newsome, the starter opposite Ward, injured his left shoulder and just returned to team drills Tuesday.
Cameron Mitchell, Myles Harden and Chigozie Anusiem are next on the depth chart, but Anusiem has been out more than a week with an undisclosed injury. Mitchell has struggled in the preseason, giving up a touchdown against the Eagles on a quick slant.