The Cleveland Browns officially have a major COVID-19 problem, with the outbreak extending to Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski.
Both Mayfield and Stefanski have tested positive, per multiple reports, adding to an ever-growing list of Browns players and coaches who have contracted the virus. Cleveland could be very shorthanded when it takes the field Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Browns’ outbreak started Tuesday when eight players were added to the COVID-19 list. The Cleveland offense has taken the biggest hit with receiver Jarvis Landry, tight end Austin Hooper and offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Wyatt Teller among those testing positive. Now, that list reportedly includes the starting quarterback in Mayfield and Stefanski, the head coach.
The outbreak comes at a miserable time for the Browns, who are technically on a short week with the Saturday afternoon game with the Raiders. At 7-6, Cleveland currently sits just outside the AFC playoff field but is now tasked with playing severely shorthanded this week ahead of a Christmas Day matchup next Saturday against the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Wednesday also said there are more positive tests expected, as ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin reported the Browns are retesting as of Wednesday morning. As of now, there are no discussions about potentially moving or postponing the game, Rapoport also reported.
We can assume Case Keenum will start at quarterback for the Browns, but that’s obviously one positive test away from changing, too. It is possible Mayfield could be back for Saturday, but he’d need to produce two negative tests by then.
The Browns opened the week as 6.5-point favorites against the reeling Raiders and were down to 2.5-point favorites before the game was pulled from the DraftKings Sportsbook board after news of Mayfield’s positive test.
