CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns placed eight players on COVID lists and entered the NFL’s “enhanced mitigation protocols” following multiple positive COVID tests Tuesday.
Receiver Jarvis Landry, tight end Austin Hooper, right guard Wyatt Teller, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., guard Drew Forbes and defensive end Takkarist McKinley were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list while receiver JoJo Natson and tight end Ross Travis were placed on practice squad/COVID-19.
Assuming all eight are unable to return for Saturday, the Browns have multiple holes at tight end, on the offensive line and receiver to fill.
“I think we’ve seen through last season, have seen it this year, guys step up,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “That’s what the NFL’s about. You’re without guys due to injury or otherwise and guys step up. That’s why we have a bunch of players on this team that we trust.”
All meetings will be conducted virtually, and all personnel are required to mask while indoors at the team’s training facility, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, for the foreseeable future.
“We’ll get our work in. That’s what we do, we’ve done it before,” Stefanski said. “We’ll have our virtual meetings and then when we’re on the practice field, we’ll make sure that we’re locked in and ready to go.”
Tuesday afternoon’s walk through practice was closed to the media.
Tight end David Njoku, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and punter Jamie Gillan were placed on the COVID list last week and Stefanski had no update on their status Tuesday afternoon.
So what would the Browns do if the eight players aren’t able to return in time?
Blake Hance likely would replace Wills at left tackle, Michael Dunn at right guard for Teller and Rashard Higgins for Landry at receiver. Tight end Harrison Bryant is expected to practice Wednesday according to Stefanski, and undrafted rookie Miller Forristall made his NFL debut against the Ravens.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Stefanski isn’t discouraging players charitable efforts this holiday season but the team continues to caution them to make sure they take appropriate precautions when they are out and about in their time away from the facility and home.
“I think it’s important that you follow the rules that are in place to keep yourself and your family safe, so we’ve constantly messaged that,” Stefanski said. “But prior to right now, we haven’t been in intensive protocols. We’re in a really, really good spot from a vaccination status, all those type of things, so using general common sense, using the CDC guidelines is always smart.
“We make sure that we follow the rules.”
Teams placed a single-day record 36 players on the list Monday leaguewide.
The NFL is mandating coaches and team personnel get a booster shot by December 27. Stefanski indicated that he already received one and the organization has educated players on the benefits of the additional shot.
Players who are vaccinated and asymptomatic must test negative twice, 24 hours apart, to become eligible to return.
The 7-6 Browns are scheduled host the 6-7 Raiders Saturday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium and Stefanski believes his team will be ready.
“We’ve got pros,” Stefanski said. “I think those guys understand what’s really important is this game on Saturday. It’s a good opponent, it’s an AFC game and we’ve got to come ready to go. And that’s why this week of preparation and how we handle these meetings, how we do when we’re together out on the field, that’s really all that matters.”