Left tackle Jedrick Wills may be able to return from Covid reserve in time to play on Sunday, but he won't practice after being exposed to someone who tested positive. (BigBlueView)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews ...
So how does Kevin Stefanski capture his team’s attention to prepare against a 1-13 Jets team missing its best players on defense?
Sure, the stakes are higher-than-ever for the Browns (10-4). They can clinch their first AFC playoff berth in 18 years with a win and the right outcome elsewhere this weekend. They also need the win to stay alive for their first division title since 1989.
But Stefanski just wanted to make sure his team didn’t let up in their practice week for the Jets, who finally broke a season-long winless streak last week against the Rams. So he pulled out the one hole card he had left to play this year.
On Wednesday, running back Nick Chubb disclosed, “Today, we had a good full-padded practice.”
That’s not as common as you might think.
At this time of year, every team is beat up. A padded practice is not normally on a player’s Christmas wish list.
Per agreement with the players union, teams are limited to 14 full-padded practices over the course of the 17-week season. And 11 of them must be used over the first 11 weeks. That means coaches have only three padded practices over the final six weeks. Consider them time outs in the closing minutes of a game.
Stefanski said he used his last padded practice this week for the Jets game, rather than save it for the Steelers game.
It’s loosely comparable to using his last time out in his next-to-last offensive possession of a close game, instead of saving it for the final one.
Stefanski knows it won’t be difficult for his players to get up for the Steelers in the final week. The Jets may be another story. They’d be only human to suffer a subconscious letdown.
The coach denied that was the motive behind playing this card this week.
“Just felt like this was the right time to do it,” he said.
Stefanski’s message to the Browns has been the same every week: No matter the last game or the opponent, just focus on going 1-0 this week.
The head coach’s ability to focus his team on the next game, rather than the last game or any other outside influence, is partly why the Browns rebounded immediately from early-season thrashings of 38-6 to Baltimore and 38-7 to Pittsburgh, and have not suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in a season since 2007.
And this week he found another way to keep his team sharp.
Left out
Rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills was self-isolated and moved to the Covid-19 reserve list after being identified as a close contact to someone outside the building who tested positive.
Mathematically, Wills can be cleared from protocols and be available to play Sunday against the Jets. It will be close.
“I think I would just tell you there is a possibility,” Stefanski said.
But Wills will miss the rest of the practice week. And since the Browns already are without first backup tackle Chris Hubbard (knee surgery), who would have been filling in, anyway, for right guard Wyatt Teller (ankle), the next man up at left tackle will be Kendall Lamm.
Lamm is in his sixth NFL season, second with the Browns. He made two starts last year, but this would be his first since then. It will also be rookie Nick Harris’ first NFL start as he fills in for Teller.
The Jets are the most convenient opponent to play without two offensive line starters. They are without their best player, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, and a few other projected starters from their defensive front seven.
“It is part of the deal in 2020,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “I do not think anybody flinches at this point. When I heard the news, I was like, ‘OK, that is the way it is.’ Our team has really been resilient in the fact that the next guy steps up and plays well.”
Brownie bits
Defensive end Myles Garrett has not appeared on the injury list despite complaining of the after-effects of the coronavirus for the past three weeks. “I think he is just getting back into football condition. He is fine,” said defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Jarvis Landry said, “He continues to work hard. Even today, he was getting back to the quarterback and we are having to stop practice pretty much because he is so disruptive. That is part of who he is.” Garrett will be up against behemoth left tackle Mekhi Becton, whom the Browns bypassed to select Wills. The rookie from Louisville is 6-7 and 363 pounds. Browns left guard Joel Bitonio said, “He is a mauler in the run game and a good pass protector, as well. I am interested to see him go against Myles and [Olivier Vernon].” …
Landry is now 4 for 4 for 74 yards and a touchdown on receiver option passes. Over his seven-year career, he is 6 of 9 for 146 yards, one TD, and a passer rating of 146.8. “Every Saturday, we do our walkthroughs and I am like the backup-backup quarterback, the emergency quarterback, so I get my four plays every Saturday that I honestly live for and these guys live for,” he said. “We have fun with it, but we had the opportunity to do it in the game. We will see what is in store.” …
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (neck) and linebacker Malcolm Smith (hamstring) returned to practice and were limited. Safety Ronnie Harrison (shoulder) continues to practice, but has not been activated off injured reserve (only designated for return). Harrison has been out since the first play in the Jacksonville game four weeks ago. The coaches are trying to have him ready for Pittsburgh next week.