What a strange week it’s been. After a very good practice on Saturday, Sunday started with an announcement by a New Jersey testing center that 77 NFL players, front office personnel and coaching staff members tested positive for Covid. The NFL immediately shut down the league and the Browns shut down their facilities in Berea for a deep cleaning. It was later found out that thankfully all tests were false positives. This incident showed how prepared the NFL was for the occurrence of a mass outbreak. As a result, the NFL has strengthened its testing policy.
On Monday, during training camp, the Browns suffered another major injury to their defense. Second round draft pick safety Grant Delpit tore his Achilles during individual drills and was lost for the season. Also during Monday’s practice, starting cornerback Greedy Williams suffered a shoulder injury. As of this writing, the extent of Williams injury is still not known. The walking wounded in the secondary includes CBs M.J. Stewart (hamstring), Terrance Mitchell (knee) and Kevin Johnson (lacerated liver). The good news was DE Myles Garrett resumed team practices and Kevin Johnson has been released from the hospital and was back on the side lines during practice. DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) was back on the practice field doing individual drills.
GM Andrew Berry did address the DT and LB positions with the signings of DT Ricky Walker and LB Malcolm Smith. Walker played for the Dallas Cowboys and Smith is a former Super Bowl MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. Now Berry has to search for safety and cornerback help depending on the status of Greedy Williams. While the injury to Williams is not known, head coach Kevin Stefanski did hint Williams might miss playing time while talking to the media. The most logical choice for the Browns at safety would be Logan Ryan. Unlike safety Earl Thomas, who was recently released from the Ravens, Ryan is a great locker room guy and would fit DC Joe Woods defensive scheme. Ryan can play on the line of scrimmage, both inside and outside cornerback positions and has played 22 games at safety. It all depends on his salary demands. He was seeking over $10 million per year.
On Tuesday, with the Browns defense not having their number two, three, four and five cornerbacks on the field, it was thought the passing game would shine. Nope. All three quarterback struggled. The only three offensive players who did well were running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and finally wide receiver Rashard Higgins. On defense, I’m really impressed with defensive tackle Jordan Elliot, defensive end Porter Gustin, linebackers Jacob Phillips and B.J. Goodson and safeties Andrew Sendejo and Karl Joseph. The only injury from Tuesday was DE Chad Thomas. With the emergence of Gustin, Thomas made be done as a Brown. Wide receiver Jarvis Landry did end practice early and go inside the facility, however it has been reported it was just precautionary. Both WR Odell Beckham and DE Myles Garrett look ready for the season to start.
Finally, GM Andrew Berry made one other roster move, claiming DE Curtis Weaver off the waiver wire from Miami. Weaver, a 2020 fifth round draft pick, was released with an injury and Miami had hoped to stash him on injured reserve for the season. Berry beat them to it. Weaver might not play this year, however now the Browns have a replacement for Olivier Vernon next year and have draft flexibility for 2021. No need to spend an early draft pick on an edge rusher next year. Pro Football Focus rated Weaver in the top five for pass rushing college defensive linemen in 2020. Guess who was number one? Browns third round pick DT Jordan Elliot.
Hopefully as practice resumes on Thursday, the offense will start to show some signs of life and the injuries will start to slow. The Browns need to get to full strength, especially on defense, they are eighteen days away from the season opener in Baltimore. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.