The hits just keep on coming for the Cleveland Browns. Bruised and battered with by an injury bug this season, the team saw another key starter go down in the first half of their matchup with the Ravens.
Standout cornerback Denzel Ward left the field after a hit to the head in the first quarter and went straight into the team's blue medical tent. It was a short-lived stint in the tent as moments later Ward was seen exiting the sideline structure and jogged to the locker room with team medical staffers.
The official word on Ward's departure was that he had suffered a head injury and went to the locker room to be evaluated. Late in the first quarter it was announced that Ward had cleared the league's concussion protocols but was questionable to return with a neck injury. In the closing minutes of the first half, Ward was seen on the sideline without his helmet while the defense was on the field.
On the play in question, Ward took a spearing hit to the head from Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley as he tried to tackle rookie wideout Zay Flowers. Ward seemed to shake it off almost immediately but wound up leaving the field to be checked out.
Head injuries, more specifically concussions, have plagued Ward throughout the entirety of his NFL career. The former fourth overall pick suffered a concussion just earlier this year in the Browns final preseason game against Kansas City. At the time it was a highly scrutinized move by head coach Kevin Stefanski to even play Ward in a meaningless game. That specific concussion was the fourth of his career. Fortunately, in this instance he has avoided a troubling fifth such injury.Â
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