CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns will place right tackle Jack Conklin, long snapper Charley Hughlett and kicker Cody Parkey on the reserve/COVID-19 list the team announced Wednesday.
The moves bring the number of Browns players on the list to five.
“We’re following all of the protocols,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday morning. “We’re in constant communication with the league on these type of things. Safety is of utmost importance and we’re doing everything to maintain that safety.”
Offensive lineman Chris Hubbard and fullback Andy Janovich were placed on the list Friday and Monday respectively.
“Adding anybody to the list doesn’t mean that they tested positive,” Stefanski said. “We’ll just make sure that, again, we’re following all of the protocols.”
Under league guidelines, teams can place players who come in close contact with someone who tested positive on the list as a precaution.
Conklin, Hughlett and Parkey were identified as high-risk close contacts of a non-staffer that tested positive which landed them on the list as a precaution, similar to the situation that quarterback Baker Mayfield went through during the bye week.
“When you are sitting there at home, you want to be at practice and you want to be with everybody, but to me, it kind of makes you lock in a lot more mentally because you know you are not getting the physical reps,” Mayfield said. “With the guys that are in the protocol right now, I think they will handle it just as that is.”
The Browns are hopeful that if the three continue to test negative this week, they would be available to play Sunday.
With Hubbard and Conklin now on the list, Kendall Lamm is the next man up at right tackle until one of them returns.
“Kendall works extremely hard,” Stefanski said. “He fits the bill of the [type] of guys we’re looking for. He does a great job at practice. I see him a lot because he gets a ton of reps on the scout team so he’s blocking Myles Garrett many times, Olivier Vernon [too]. So he gets great work during the week.
“Should he be the guy, he’ll be ready to go.”
Fullback Johnny Stanton could be elevated if needed to replace Janovich.
Kicker Matthew McCrane, who is on the practice squad and was protected this week so he can't be signed by another team, would replace Parkey if needed.
Stefanski indicated the Browns have multiple players that can serve as the backup long snapper and they will not have to make a move to bring in another player if Hughlett is unavailable this week, but he did mention linebacker Mack Wilson by name.
“We’ll just make sure we have a plan if we are without Charlie,” Stefanski said.
The Browns facility remains open as the team continues to follow all guidelines and remains in the NFL’s intensive protocols this week. They continue to conduct all of their meetings virtually.
