Report: Tyrod Taylor to clear concussion protocol this week

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson is expected to make an announcement on the team’s starting quarterback on Monday.

While it seems abundantly clear that the choice will be to turn the team over to rookie Baker Mayfield, that decision could be complicated just a wee bit as veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor is expected to be cleared to play.

Taylor suffered a concussion during the first half of Thursday night’s win against the New York Jets and will reportedly be cleared from the league’s concussion protocol in the coming days, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Taylor was injured when his head hit the ground following a sack in the second quarter. It was not the type of hit that fans normally associate with a concussion, but combined with a hit to the head that Taylor took on a scramble earlier in the night, was enough to sideline him for the rest of the game.

It was also the third concussion that Taylor has suffered in the past 13 months, with the first two coming while he was with the Buffalo Bills.

The first came on August 26, 2017, during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. That concussion kept Taylor in the league-mandated protocol until September 5, a span of 10 days.

The second game in January of this year during a playoff loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That game ended Buffalo’s season, so there is no way of knowing how much time Taylor would have potentially missed.

With a few extra days until the Browns next game on September 30, it would seem plausible that Taylor would be cleared at some point this week. But since this is not Taylor’s first concussion, the Browns should be careful with putting him back on the field.

And with Mayfield appearing more than ready to take over as the franchise quarterback, there is also no reason to put Taylor back in the QB1 role.

Whether or not any of that is enough to sway Jackson’s decision on the starting quarterback remains to be seen.