Browns place 4 starters on COVID list ahead of Raiders game

The Browns placed eight players on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday ahead of their Saturday game in Cleveland against the Raiders.

On that list are four starters — wide receiver Jarvis Landry, tight end Austin Hooper, guard Wyatt Teller and tackle Jedrick Willis. Two reserves — guard Drew Forbes and defensive end Takkarist McKinley — and two practice squad players — wide receiver JoJo Nelson and tight end Ross Travis — are also on that list.

The game Saturday remains scheduled, according to an NFL spokesperson. , Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that players will be tested daily until further notice.

“Guys step up. That’s what the NFL is about,” Stefanski said. “That’s why we have a bunch of players on this team that we trust.”

Here’s a quick look at the 7-6 Browns heading into Saturday’s game.

Offense

When at full strength, the Browns are buoyed by one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. It spearheads the No. 4 rushing offense that is producing 143.5 yards per game. Only five teams run the ball more than Cleveland, which rushes on 46.7 percent of its offensive plays. Running back Nick Chubb is one of the league’s best, totaling 926 yards on 5.5 yards per carry.

Kareem Hunt (386 yards) and D’Ernest Johnson (342 yards) are also viable options in the backfield.

Fourth-year quarterback Baker Mayfield is battling several injuries. He has 2,603 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His passer rating of 90.1 is the second lowest of his career, and he’s throwing for 216.9 yards per game, the fewest of his career.

Hooper (291 yards, three touchdowns) and Landry (397 yards, one touchdown) are two of Cleveland’s top targets. If they’re not available, Mayfield will likely turn more to Donovan Peoples-Jones, who has a team-high 430 receiving yards.

Cleveland’s second-leading receiver, tight end David Njoku (407 yards), was placed on the COVID list last week. His status for Saturday is uncertain.

Defense

Fifth-year defensive end Myles Garrett is a prime Defensive Player of the Year candidate and one of the most disruptive forces in the NFL. He’s among the league leaders with 15 sacks and could feast against a struggling Raiders’ offensive line.

Former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney is also a factor on the edge with 5.0 sacks.

The Browns are tied for sixth in the NFL with 35 sacks despite blitzing less frequently than all but three teams, including the Raiders. As a result, Cleveland has a stingy pass defense that allows 215 yards per game — seventh fewest in the NFL.

Fourth-year cornerback Denzel Ward is one of the NFL’s best. Rookie corner Greg Newsome and third-year corner Greedy Williams are also emerging as standouts.

Special Teams

Kicker Chase McLaughlin is converting field goals at a 75 percent clip (15 of 20). All five of his misses have been from between 40 and 49 yards.

Veteran punter Dustin Colquitt averages 46.1 yards per punt.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.