Need to Know: Tyrod Taylor in concussion protocol as Browns look to heal up over long weekend

Browns veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor entered the league’s concussion protocol during Thursday’s win over the Jets, and the team will continue to monitor his progress over the coming days. Taylor exited with a little more than 3 minutes to play in the second quarter. He took a forearm to the head on a slide earlier in the period and was slow to get up after a sack by Avery Williamson on what would be his final play of the night. “We will work through all of that,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said on a Friday conference call. “I think the most important thing is let’s just see where he is at physically, first and foremost. You mentioned it, there have been some other concussions. We just have to see how that all works over the next several days. We will see what is best for him, first and foremost. Then, where all of this fits as we move forward.” Jackson said he’d wait until he can meet with the players before announcing whether Taylor would remain the starter or if Baker Mayfield, who impressed in leading Cleveland to its win Thursday, would take over. Browns players are off for the weekend and will return to Berea on Monday for practice. “I want to really watch the tape and talk to the staff and talk to (General Manager) John (Dorsey),” Jackson said. “Then, make a decision from there. I think that you guys all feel good about where things are headed, so let’s just wait and see and go from there.” -- The only other injury of significance Thursday was suffered by linebacker James Burgess, who hurt his knee in the second half. With 10 days off, the Browns hope to heal up some players who have missed the past two games, such as linebacker Christian Kirksey (shoulder/ankle), defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (ankle) and tight end Seth DeValve (hamstring). “I love the nine and 10-day window,” Jackson said. “It just gives us an opportunity as a team to get better as we get ready to head out west to go play a huge game for us.”-- Jackson said he’s “very concerned” with the state of the Browns’ special teams after a third straight rocky performance. The Browns had a punt blocked near the end of the first quarter, a play that set up the Jets’ first touchdown of the game. They also committed multiple penalties on returns. “It is something that we sat down and had a good conversation about today,” Jackson said. “My disappointment is that it is happening with sometimes young players and sometimes veteran player. We have to shore it up. We can’t have it become the Achilles heel. We know that teams are going to scratch where it itches. Right now, that is one of the areas that is itching, and we have to fix it. We have to put a Band-Aid on it as fast as we can.” There were a couple of positives for the group, as punter Britton Colquitt pinned the Jets inside their own 5-yard twice during pivotal moments and new kicker Greg Joseph made both of his field goal attempts and an extra point. “I’m here to do a job and glad we got it done,” Joseph said. “It was a great team win and ecstatic for the guys in this locker room. Everyone in the city has been long awaiting this. The fans are awesome. They were loud. They were cheering after every kick I made in warm-ups. It felt surreal. I made sure I just walked out there and take a lap. It was amazing.” -- The Browns increased their takeaway total to 11 on the season Thursday and carry a plus-9 give/take ratio through three games. Cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell have been in the middle of more than half of them, combining for six on the year. Ward forced and recovered a fumble Thursday while Mitchell had the game-sealing interception one week after he forced two fumbles. “They are able to take the ball away,” Jackson said. “They are able to cover teams’ really good wide receivers and then we also have a chance to get the ball away from them. I think that is really good. We are getting a two-fold. We are covering guys and we are taking the ball away so I think they have made a huge, huge impact on our defense. We just need them to keep doing it week in and week out.”