Browns turn page on 2020 calendar year with Denzel Ward the latest player lost to Covid

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.

Takeaways from Browns interviews …

After almost hourly news drops – some positive and some negative – the Browns turned the page on calendar year 2020 in a fragile state for their win-to-get-in game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The latest:

• Cornerback Denzel Ward was placed on Covid-19 reserve, assuring he will miss the Pittsburgh game. If Ward tested positive for the coronavirus – the club is not permitted to say – he could also miss the Browns’ first post-season game in 18 years, if they make it.
• Earlier in the day, linebacker Malcolm Smith and tight end Harrison Bryant joined linebacker B.J. Goodson, safety Andrew Sendejo and safety Karl Joseph on Covid reserve. Joseph has a slim chance of being eligible for the Pittsburgh game. The others are out.
• As a result of Ward’s suspected positive test result, the Browns decided not to reopen their facility and canceled practice. The club’s statement concluded, “We will continue our preparation for the Steelers today remotely and hope to open our facility for practice tomorrow.”

Not all of the news was bad.

• Activated off Covid reserve and made eligible for the Pittsburgh game were receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and Donovan Peoples-Jones; and linebacker Jacob Phillips.
• In Pittsburgh, the Post-Gazette reported that in addition to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, coach Mike Tomlin had decided to not play edge rusher T.J. Watt, defensive end Cameron Heyward and center Maurkice Pouncey. Also, several other players are expected to be on pitch counts and may be removed from the game in the second half.

Fast Friday

Prior to the cancellation of Thursday’s practice, coach Kevin Stefanski speculated on what he may do if that came to pass.

“Friday is usually a shorter but crisp practice – you have heard it said before, ‘Fast Friday.’ We will adjust accordingly,” Stefanski said. “If we have to get extra work in, we absolutely can do that. That is where I credit the players and I credit the coaches. We have moved practice on them, we have changed what we are doing and we have added things, and they really have not blinked. Whatever is appropriate for tomorrow and if that is necessary, we will do that.”

Does the coach think it necessary for the four receivers who missed the Jets game to put in extra work with quarterback Baker Mayfield?

“We have gotten such good work all the way back through July so there are definitely some banked reps throwing to those guys,” he said. “I know they have been out for however long it has been. I do not think you lose all of those reps, so to speak. Obviously, the coach in me wants to get everybody in there and then running all of the reps and all of that, but whatever is appropriate, we will definitely work with.”

The week is still not over, but you wonder how the coaches can prepare the Browns for the biggest game of their season without a full work week.

“We will be prepared whatever we are able to do today, tomorrow and all of that,” Stefanski said. “We will be prepared. The guys are working very hard on these Zoom calls to understand what is required. We had practice yesterday. Whatever it ends up being, I trust in our preparations and the guys’ ability to adapt.”

Mayfield’s ‘perfect’ practice

Mayfield has had an edge to him since losing three fumbles in the 23-16 loss to the Jets. First, he cut short his post-game Zoom conference after a two-minute commentary and walked off. On Wednesday, he was impatient with a few questions and gave sarcastic answers.

But in their one full practice on Wednesday, Mayfield apparently brought his A-game to the workplace.

“Practice [on Wednesday] was incredible,” coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “He threw the ball with extreme accuracy. Everything was perfect. I think he had the perfect day of practice. I know he is locked in. He is dialed in.”

I asked Van Pelt if he were being hyperbolic or was he serious in labeling the practice perfect.

“He was very sharp. He was laser focused. When I walked in, [Mayfield was in] a little bit of a surly mood and just a different day so I could tell that he was locked in and ready to go,” he answered. “He ripped every ball he threw and bounced one off of a helmet that was just absolutely fired. He was locked in. We did not have a long practice, but he was perfect, and yes, statistically, yes.”

Don’t sleep on Mason Rudolph

The last image of Rudolph for Browns fans was the battered Pittsburgh backup quarterback getting tackled by Myles Garrett and then getting his helmet ripped off and bopped off his head.

But Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods has a different image of the man filling in for Roethlisberger on Sunday.

Woods was defensive backs coach with San Francisco last season when Rudolph, starting for the first time for the injured Roethlisberger, had the Steelers ahead, 20-17, under the two-minute warning.

“We were hanging on fighting for our lives to win that game,” Woods said. “We won it really on the last drive. He is very capable of running the offense. He has been there for a long time. We will definitely prepare for him. He is the guy who is up and he is the starter, and everybody knows he is capable.”

Mason is 5-3 for the Steelers in games he has started at quarterback.

Brownie bits

Here is what special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said about Cody Parkey, who has missed three PATs and one field goal in the last three games: “The last couple have been completely different. One he pushed right, and one he pulled left. We have talked about it. He has worked on it. He is working on it again today. It is frustrating for him, as well as for our football team. He knows he has to make those kicks and he needs to make them stretch to help us obviously to win this game and hopefully keep going.” …

Stefanski said that right guard Wyatt Teller “looked good” in his first practice after missing two weeks with an ankle injury.