CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns preparations for Sunday's AFC Wild Card game in Pittsburgh remain on hold, or in virtual video reality following more positive COVID-19 tests.
Safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. and practice squad linebacker Montreal Meander were placed on their respective Reserve/COVID-19 lists by the team Thursday afternoon.
Harrison will not play and the Browns currently have a total of seven players, including five starters, on Reserve/COVID-19: left guard Joel Bitonio, tight end Harrison Bryant, receiver KhaDarel Hodge, cornerbacks Kevin Johnson and Denzel Ward as well as Malcolm Smith.
Safety Andrew Sendejo was activated from Reserve/COVID-19 Thursday.
The training complex in Berea remained closed Thursday and the team was unable to practice for a second straight day as the organization awaits guidance from the league office as to if and when they can take the field together.
Another round of daily testing awaits first thing Friday morning.
Dr. Allen Sills told NFL Network Thursday that, “there was some spread one individual to another” in this latest round of testing and contact tracing.
The Browns are scheduled to play their first playoff game since January 2003 Sunday night in Pittsburgh, but they are unable to practice. quarterback Baker Mayfield has yet to throw a football this week.
The NFL says the game is still on, as scheduled.
Mike Priefer will serve as acting head coach Sunday night in place of Kevin Stefanski, and he can't even get the team on the field for a workout.
“I'm both honored and humbled to have this opportunity, but make no mistake this is Kevin's team,” Priefer said Thursday. “He's laid a foundation of a smart, tough, accountable, resilient team. Our fans deserve our best effort and that's what we plan on giving them.”
Mayfield and the Browns continue roll with the punches and adapt to what continues to be difficult circumstances that have poured a cold bucket of water on what was supposed to be an exhilarating week.
“It won't have an impact,” Mayfield said.
How is Mayfield preparing for his first NFL playoff game without practice?
“A lot of band and bodyweight stuff,” Mayfield said. “Doing a lot of walkthrough of my footwork and trying to tie those in together. Just getting up, moving around like we potentially could. Everybody’s setup is different, and that is how it was in the offseason, so you have to find a way to get the most out of it and do it safely.”
Receiver Jarvis Landry is trying to make the most – and best – out of a difficult situation that is out of their control.
“Practice is a big part of everything that we do and understanding that, but at the same time, it is 2021 and it feels like 2020 still and everything is still so unexpected,” Landry said. “We have to make the most of these Zoom meetings, out of the walkthroughs and out of the time that we have to be able to go over all the details.
“Because this game is happening obviously, despite what we are going through as a team. I do not think the league looks at is as a disadvantage or anything like that, so I think for us, we have to just continue to prepare and get ready to play the game.”
The Browns held a virtual walk through on Wednesday while their building remained closed as a precautionary measure after five tested positive Tuesday, including Stefanski, two assistant coaches as well as Bitonio and Hodge.
In the meantime, Stefanski continues to do all he can to work with Priefer, his staff and the team on preparations for Sunday night’s Wild Card playoff game.
“Kevin is still handling the head coaching duties,” Priefer said. “Up until kickoff he will do so.”