CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns activated safety John Johnson III from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday morning and elevated seven from the practice squad as COVID replacements.
It was hardly the COVID booster the Browns had hoped for after seeing the game against Las Vegas moved back nearly 48 hours.
The depleted roster is set.
Nick Mullens will start at quarterback after Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum failed to clear COVID protocols Monday morning.
Mayfield posted Sunday on his Instagram account story that he remained asymptomatic, and he was “praying to test negative for COVID.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski also did not clear protocols leaving Mike Priefer to serve as acting head coach and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to call plays for the offense against Las Vegas.
The Browns elevated seven players as COVID replacements from the practice squad – cornerback Brian Allen, guard Hjalte Froholdt, defensive end Joe Jackson, running back John Kelly, cornerback Herb Miller, as well as safeties Jovante Moffatt and Tedric Thompson.
The postponement allowed the Browns to return defensive end Takkarist McKinley, right guard Wyatt Teller and Johnson from the COVID list and receiver Anthony Schwartz was also cleared from concussion protocol. They lost defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and right tackle James Hudson III to COVID-19.
Cleveland, who enters the game 7-6 against the 6-7 Raiders, will be without eight starters and 18 players total from the active roster heading into this week’s game.
Should the Browns pull off a miracle and upset the Raiders, they would take over first place in the AFC North but a loss would drop them into last place within the division and cripple their playoff hopes.