CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Nick Mullens took his first reps with the first team offense – or what is left of it – Saturday afternoon as he continues to prepare for Monday’s game against the Raiders.
Whether or not he will start remains to be seen.
Mullens is taking the uncertainty in stride.
“This is my fifth year in the NFL, and I have learned to expect anything,” Mullens said.
Mullens and the Browns won’t know until three hours before kickoff.
That’s the new deadline – 2 p.m. Monday – for both teams to be able to make roster moves, and for the Browns, to activate players from the reserve/COVID-19 list, should they be eligible to come off.
Every day has been stressful this past week with more players testing positive and in jeopardy of missing a critical showdown between AFC playoff hopefuls, but Mullens has done all he can to remain focused.
“It is important to just find the right things to focus on,” Mullens said. “For me, that is knowing my assignment, knowing my reads and knowing my assignment of what to do on each play and where to distribute the ball. If I do that – we will work collectively – that is how the Browns are going to be successful.
“It is really just finding the right things to focus on and focus on the things that will help us win the game.”
The Browns signed Mullens, a former undrafted free agent in 2017, to the practice squad September 1 after he was cut by the Eagles.
Mullens was elevated to the active roster on Thursday as a COVID outbreak spread like wildfire through the roster taking out Baker Mayfield Wednesday and Case Keenum on Thursday.
“Nick is a young man, but he is a pro,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He has been with a couple of different teams. He has been in our system, which is similar to what they were doing out there in San Francisco. He understands how we operate. He has been here long enough where he knows our cadence real well, the shifts, motions and those type of things just based on his experience. He did a nice job. We are going to use this extra time here to continue to answer any questions that he may have, clear up the gameplan and all of those type of things.”
As Stefanski mentioned, if Mullens does start, it won’t be his first rodeo.
Mullens started eight games for the 49ers in 2018 and overall has started 16 of the 19 games he’s appeared in where he’s completed 64.5% of his passes for 4,714 yards with 25 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
As of Saturday night Mullens won’t have Jedrick Wills, Wyatt Teller and James Hudson to protect him up front or Jarvis Landry to throw to or Kareem Hunt to hand off to but he’s not discouraged one bit.
“The thing that sticks out to me is pretty much every day in our team meetings coach Stefanski tells us, ‘If you are in this room, we believe in you,’ Mullens said. “That could not be more true this week. We are here because our coaches believe in us, so it is our job to go prove them right.”
Walker back – Linebacker Anthony Walker is off the COVID list after testing negative twice.
Like many of his teammates who remain on the list, Walker escaped serious illness after testing positive for the virus.
“I did not feel much – more so nasal congestion,” Walker said. “I had 100 percent attendance from kindergarten to senior year of high school. There were not too many things that I was missing school for. It was kind of weird to feel kind of normal and then have to miss a couple of days.”
Walker’s return is a welcome sight considering 12 other defenders remain unavailable, including their top three safeties.
“It is tough. Obviously, you are missing three great athletes, great players and great students of the game, but I have nothing but the utmost respect and confidence for the guys who are going to come in and play for them,” Walker said. M.J. Stewart, a great athlete and a very smart player, Richard LeCounte (III), obviously very athletic and smart player, Javonte Moffatt, another just very freakishly athletic guy. If they have the opportunity, I have no doubt that they will go and get the job done.
“I have the confidence in them, but obviously, I have to help them as much as possible, me being the MIKE linebacker and making sure that we are all set, we all know what the coverage is, all know what we are playing and communicating. I think that is the main thing.”
Tretter to the rescue – Some Raiders, including their owner Mark Davis, were upset the game was postponed by the NFL.
Some in the national media absurdly suggested that NFLPA president J.C. Tretter had a conflict of interest in working with the league on behalf of the players to get the Browns game postponed because he’s their center.
“We all saw it and everything like that. Either way, the league made a decision,” Walker said. “The game is 5 p.m. on Monday. We are prepared for it. That is all we can take care of. We can’t worry about anything else. We will be ready on Monday at 5 p.m. when the game is scheduled. That is all I have to say about that one. Thanks JC for being on the Browns.”
Tretter’s efforts in coordination with the NFLPA also helped get the Washington-Eagles and Seahawks-Rams games moved to Tuesday.
“JC does a great job of communicating,” Walker said. “Throughout the whole process and throughout the whole offseason, he has communicated with us and with other teams. He is the president of the NFLPA, not just the Browns.
He has done a great job. He has communicated over the top with us. It has been great having JC.”
Schwartz cleared – Receiver Anthony Schwartz cleared the concussion protocol and returned to practice Saturday.
Schwartz had been sidelined since suffering the head injury November 14th in a 45-7 loss to the Patriots.
The rookie, who has caught eight of 17 targets this season for 117 yards in 10 games, is listed as questionable for Monday.
Injury report – OUT: CB Greg Newsome (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: TE Harrison Bryant (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (concussion), DT Malik Jackson (knee); EXPECTED TO PLAY: DE Jadeveon Clowney (illness), LG Joel Bitonio (back), DE Myles Garrett (no injury/rest), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (thumb), LB Sione Takitaki (shoulder), C J.C. Tretter (knee)
Up next – Raiders at Browns, Monday at 5 p.m.
