Nick Mullens is preparing to make his first NFL start in exactly one year. His first start for the Browns on Monday will come with playoff hopes on the line. (Cleveland Browns)
Browns ‘not counting on’ getting more players back from COVID before Monday
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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 …
The risk to the Browns of rescheduling their game against the Las Vegas Raiders 48 hours ahead to Monday was that more players could be lost after positive COVID-19 tests.
On Saturday, they lost James Hudson, who was earmarked to start at right tackle. His move to the COVID list forces the Browns probably to elevate Alex Taylor from the practice squad. Taylor would become the fourth player to start at the position this year for the Browns.
Now, the reward of the rescheduling is getting players – and coaches – through the COVID protocols and available to play.
On Saturday, they did activate defensive end Takk McKinley from COVID/reserve, which is good because Jadeveon Clowney is heading to the COVID list.
But coach Kevin Stefanski did not sound hopeful that more would follow.
“As you can imagine, things are very fluid,” Stefanski said after the team’s practice on Saturday. “We will see how it goes in terms of guys going to the list. In terms of guys who are coming back, we do not know. There is uncertainty there. If guys make it back, great. If they do not, that is fine, too.
“We have that mentality, as you know, where it is ‘next man up’ and [we’d] love to see guys come back … but [getting players back is] definitely not something that we are counting on, so to speak.”
On Saturday, NFL Media reported the Browns and Raiders were informed by the NFL that they have until 2 p.m. on Monday to make transactions for the game, which kicks off at 5 p.m.
So I asked Stefanski if a starting player became available early enough on Monday to beat that deadline, would he have any hesitation in restoring that player to the lineup without practicing or even participating in walk-throughs all week.
“If [he] were healthy and good to go from that standpoint, I would not have a hesitation,” the coach said.
It’s Mullens time
The Browns carried Kyle Lauletta as QB3 in training camp, waived him on Aug. 31, and then signed Nick Mullens, 26, to their practice squad the next day.
What made Mullens so attractive was not only his NFL starting experience (16 games), but also that they came in a very similar offensive system run by Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers.
After spending the entire year running the scout team from the practice squad, Mullens quarterbacked the first-team offense in the team’s final practice on Saturday and is preparing to start on Monday with the Browns’ playoff hopes dangling in the balance.
It will come exactly a year since he made his last start for the 49ers, a 41-33 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“Nick is a young man, but he is a pro,” Stefanski said. “He has been with a couple of different teams. He has been in our system, which is similar to what they were doing out there in San Francisco. He understands how we operate. He has been here long enough where he knows our cadence real well, the shifts, motions and those type of things just based on his experience.
“He did a nice job [at practice]. We are going to use this extra time here to continue to answer any questions that he may have, clear up the gameplan and all of those type of things.”
Mullens’ experience in Shanahan’s system has helped him accelerate his prep for his first start with the Browns.
“It has given me a lot of comfort really since I got here,” he said. “I was third string just studying the offense as much as I can. I have learned in this league, the more you know, the better; the more you can do, the better. That is why we play football is to be the best version of ourselves. That is what we are all trying to do here.
"This week is just another continuation of that. For me, it is kind of like, ‘I knew this much last week. How much more can I learn this week? How much more prepared can I be this week?’ I have kind of gone about it that way really, since I got here.”
Mullens signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi, where he broke all of Brett Favre’s passing records. He spent his rookie year on the practice squad.
His very first NFL start – in relief of injured Jimmy Garoppolo – came in Game 9 in 2018 against, coincidentally, the Oakland Raiders, the team he’ll probably face on Monday. Mullens had a storybook debut in a 34-3 rout of the Raiders – 16 of 22, 262 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
In 16 starts for the 49ers over three seasons, Mullens completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 4,714 yards, had 25 TDs v. 22 interceptions, and a passer rating of 87.2. His record as a starter was 5-11.
He signed with the Eagles in June when the 49ers did not re-sign him as a restricted free agent. The Eagles waived him on Aug. 28.
What does Mullens bring to the field in a must-win situation?
“Just being able to distribute the ball and operate the offense,” he said. “I think it is just a matter of how you play the position -- know where to go with the football, how to operate the offense and how to stay ahead of the sticks. That is when the Browns offense is at its best is when we are running the ball, distributing the ball and staying ahead of the sticks. That is our plan, and that is what I am excited to execute.”
For the record, Lauletta came full circle and was signed to the Browns’ regular roster off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. He’ll be Mullens’ backup against the Raiders. Which means despite losing their top two quarterbacks, the Browns will be able to field two quarterbacks with experience in their system.
Last line of defense
One of the reasons for the Browns’ improved play on defense has to do with the improved play of the main three safeties. Alas, each is on the COVID list and there’s little hope that John Johnson, Ronnie Harrison or Grant Delpit might be cleared in time to play.
The Browns will have to make do with backups M.J. Stewart, rookie Richard LeCounte and practice squadder Jovante Moffatt.
Here’s what middle linebacker Anthony Walker, who returned from COVID and will play, had to say about the situation:
“It is tough. Obviously, you are missing three great athletes, great players and great students of the game, but I have nothing but the utmost respect and confidence for the guys who are going to come in and play for them.
“M.J. Stewart, a great athlete and a very smart player. Richard LeCounte, obviously very athletic and smart player. Javonte Moffatt, another just very freakishly athletic guy. If they have the opportunity, I have no doubt that they will go and get the job done.
“I have the confidence in them, but obviously, I have to help them as much as possible, me being the MIKE linebacker and making sure that we are all set, we all know what the coverage is, all know what we are playing and communicating. I think that is the main thing.”
Brownie bits
Despite the COVID outbreak, Stefanski had coaches run practice indoors. Here is his explanation: “What we are trying to do is keep everybody safe. We are trying to get the team ready for the game on Monday and getting work in while being safe. We took extra precautions with the guys in terms of how we came into the building, how we got dressed, how we left and all of those things. We limited the amount of time we were around each other. Those are things that we have done really all week. We are trying to be very, very smart about this, but also, trying to get out work in.” …
Stefanski declined to say what he and line coach Bill Callahan will do at the starting tackle positions after Hudson’s positive test came in so late in the week. It’s expected that Blake Hance will move to left tackle and Taylor will come off the practice squad and start at right tackle, but Stefanski left open the door for other options. “I am not going to get into the specific movements that you have to make with that, but our coaches have done a great job throughout this as more information becomes available. Again, I would tell you, the players have been really outstanding in how flexible they are and understanding that whatever their job is they have to do it with as much preparation as they have,” he said …
Cornerback Greg Newsome (concussion) was the only player ruled out for non-COVID reasons. Tight end Harrison Bryant (ankle) and receiver Anthony Schwartz (concussion) were listed as questionable …
If you count Clowney, whom the club hasn’t confirmed on the COVID list, but will, the Browns currently have 20 players out with COVID from the regular roster, and four more on their practice squad. Ten of those players are starters if healthy, and three more would have started on Monday if available.
