CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns woke up on Thursday morning eager to usher in the new year with their four best receivers – including Jarvis Landry – from the COVID-19 reserve list and ready to prepare for the Steelers’ defeat on Sunday in the FirstEnergy Stadium.
They were forced to cancel the practice after three more Browns players tested positive for COVID-19, including their second-best defensive player in the corner from Denzel Ward, who will not only miss Sunday’s giant win-and-win game, but also misses a playoff match because he has to isolate a minimum of ten days.
If the Browns could beat the Steelers and clinch their first playoff spot in 18 years, Ward would have to miss the game if it was Saturday, but he could play if it was Sunday. It is possible that the Browns could face the No. 3 Hall Steelers in the Wildcard round at Heinz Field.
The other two players who tested positive on Thursday were linebacker Malcolm Smith and rookie Harrison Bryant. They also need to put out the Steelers game and possibly a playoff game.
That makes a total of five players on the reserve list who tested positive and should miss the Steelers game, and five players who were activated from the reserve list on Thursday as close contacts and who will play on Sunday. Safety Karl Joseph is also still on the reserve list as a close contact, and could possibly be activated on Saturday.
* The five positives that should make this game stand out are: linebacker BJ Goodson, safety Andrew Sendejo, Smith, Bryant and Ward.
* The five players activated and able to play on Thursday were: receivers Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge, and linebacker Jacob Phillips. The five were in close contact with Goodson and none of them were positive. All six were ruled out a day before the game with Sunday’s 23-16 defeat to the Jets.
* There are also two practice group players on the reserve list in center Javon Patterson and safety Elijah Benton.
* The Browns also have one unknown assistant coach who tested positive, but it’s not one of their coordinators.
The Browns ‘decision to cancel the practice and close the facility for the day was taken in conjunction with the NFL, which is closely monitoring the Browns’ situation. The plan is to practice on Friday and cancel it if they do not have new positive tests in the morning.
“Friday is usually a shorter but sharp exercise – you’ve heard ‘fast Friday’ before,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We will adjust accordingly. If we need to get extra work, we can absolutely do it. This is where I recognize the players and recognize the coaches.
‘We applied the practice to it, we changed what we do, and we added things, and it really did not cut it. Whatever is appropriate for tomorrow and if need be, we will do it. ”
As of Thursday night, the Browns-Steelers game, scheduled for 1pm at FirstEnergy Stadium, was still going on, league spokesman Brian McCarthy told cleveland.com. This is because, like the NFL medical officer, dr. Allen Sills said in a conference on Wednesday that there was no evidence of transfer within the Browns facility.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who addressed the media before the instant news that Ward tested positive, is taking the news on board.
“I’m really, really going to do it day in and day out and hour in and hour out in terms of what’s going on,” Stefanski said. ‘We are constantly in touch with the league and with our medical staff and find out what we can do. Coaches, we burned the phones – lots of phone calls and lots of Zoom calls.
“Our work is done. We are just going to rely heavily on the medical professionals and follow their guidelines, and that is what we have done so far. ”
The news of the three new positive tests came on the same day that Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that three more Steelers Pro Bowlers would be playing with Ben Roethlisberger: linebacker TJ Watt, defensive tackle Cam Heyward and center Maurice Pouncey. Watt leads the NFL with 15 pockets and is a leading candidate for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
‘It’s part of the deal this time of year, but it’s not really about it; it’s about us and it’s about our focus on our work and what we need to get done, ” said offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. “It’s a decision they made – we’ll see – but at the same time not really focused on who’s not going to be there.”
Defense coordinator Joe Woods also warned that the Browns should not be considered facing Mason Rudolph instead of Big Ben.
“We certainly can not think so,” Woods said. “For me, it’s simple. When I was in San Francisco, we played them the third game of the year. I think it was just after Ben came down with the injury, and we fought for our lives to win that game.
“We really won it on the last ride. He is very capable of committing the offense. He’s been there a long time. Everyone knows he is capable. ‘
Van Pelt also predicts that the receivers will play with their hair on fire after putting out the Jets game.
“Every time you don’t play, it’s hard to watch,” he said. ‘It must be very difficult, especially for the guys, to watch it on television from home. Not that they’ve ever needed motivation, but maybe it’s giving them a little extra spark. “
In addition to the four receivers and Phillips being activated today, the Browns are also getting other players for this game: left-back Jedrick Wills Jr. is back from his illness, Wyatt Teller is expected from his high ankle strain, and safety Ronnie Harrison is back after missing four games with a shoulder injury.
“We will be prepared for everything we can do today, tomorrow and all that,” Stefanski said. “We will be prepared. The guys are working very hard on these Zoom calls to understand what is needed. We had exercise [Wednesday]. Either way, I rely on our preparations and the guys’ ability to adapt. ”
The defense gets especially heavy in this game with Ward, Goodson, Sendejo and Smith out. The Browns also have two linebackers limited to ankle injuries during the Jets game in Sione Takitaki and Tae Davis.
The Browns also have two tormenting attacking lineouts in Kendall Lamm (illness) and Nick Harris (knee), both of whom would have put out Thursday’s practice for the second consecutive day if there had been one.
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New Browns face masks for sale: Here’s where you can buy Cleveland Browns-themed face masks for coronavirus protection for adults and teens, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All NFL proceeds were donated to CDC Foundation.
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