CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – For the third consecutive day the Browns were hit with a rash of positive COVID tests, including backup quarterback Case Keenum.
Keenum tested positive Thursday for COVID-19 along with four others – safeties Ronnie Harrison and Grant Delpit, cornerback AJ Green as well as linebacker Jacob Phillips a league source confirmed to 92.3 The Fan.
All five practiced Thursday afternoon and confusion over the testing cadence Thursday left quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is on reserve/COVID-19 after testing positive Wednesday, fuming.
Mayfield took to Twitter to voice his anger and frustration with the NFL.
Mayfield’s beef comes in the wake of the revelation that not everyone tested prior to Friday’s practice, which is the typical protocol, thus jeopardizing the health and safety of everyone considering that five players who practiced ended up testing positive after the workout.
Multiple players also jumped on Twitter to express frustration and dismay at the situation the Browns, who are preparing for a must win game against the 6-7 Raiders, find themselves in and some of them did it in colorful fashion.
Receiver Jarvis Landry, who tested positive this week, quote Tweeted a post asking if Saturday game against the Raiders should be cancelled by writing, “Should not even be a question !! YES” in response.
Defensive end Myles Garrett was perplexed by Thursday's testing process, which typically takes place in the morning before anyone is even allowed in the facility.
“Today, it was it was strange in the way they went about testing or I guess the lack of testing,” Garrett said. “I know today they were saying that we were not going to test, and we were just going to go into the building, even though we might have a couple more guys pop up as positive.
“It almost seemed like we were just ignoring it instead of addressing the issue. We should go ahead and test and then allow in the building but not before you get results, and that is how it should be.”
The NFL updated protocols Thursday which may have led to some of the confusion over testing.
Masks will be required inside team facilities going forward regardless of vaccination status. In person meetings won’t be allowed unless within an indoor practice field but players must be socially distanced.
Vaccinated players who test positive can come off the reserve/COVID-19 list quicker.
Anyone who tests positive must be tested daily and vaccinated players who are asymptomatic for 24 hours could be allowed to return with either a negative test(s) or by meeting certain “cycle thresholds.”
This could open the door for some players to return for Saturday’s game.
Including the five players Thursday, the Browns now have 18 total positive tests among those on the active roster plus three on the practice squad as well as head coach Kevin Stefanski and coaching assistant/acting running backs coach Ryan Cordell.
Among the players that could potentially be out against the Raiders, 16 of them are key contributors – receiver Jarvis Landry, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., right guard Wyatt Teller, tight end Austin Hooper, quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum, defensive tackle Malik McDowell, defensive end Takkarist McKinley, linebackers Anthony Walker Jr. and Jacob Phillips, safeties Ronnie Harrison Jr., Grant Delpit and John Johnson III, cornerbacks Troy Hill and A.J. Green as well as punter Jamie Gillan.
The lone sliver of good COVID news came with the activations of tight ends David Njoku and Stephen Carlson off the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Despite the outbreak with the Browns, the NFL still says that Saturday's game with Las Vegas will be played as scheduled.
