NFL teams
Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff Writer 2y

Jarvis Landry, Wyatt Teller among 8 players added to reserve/COVID-19 list by Cleveland Browns

NFL, Cleveland Browns

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns on Tuesday placed eight players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including four offensive starters in five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry, offensive guard Wyatt Teller, tight end Austin Hooper and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr.

Defensive end Takk McKinley, punt returner JoJo Natson, backup guard Drew Forbes and reserve tight end Ross Travis also were placed on the list.

All eight players are vaccinated, a source told ESPN.

Faced with a short turnaround this week, the Browns now could be without several key players for Saturday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Vaccinated players can return only after producing two negative tests 24 hours apart. Unvaccinated players must sit a minimum of 10 days.

"It's obviously an unfortunate situation," Browns guard Joel Bitonio said. "You want to see your guys on the field. But we have been through it. We had multiple weeks last year where we couldn't fully practice. We lost some players, including the playoff game, so we do have experience with it."

After Tuesday's round of testing, the Browns were placed in enhanced mitigation protocols, meaning all meetings will be conducted virtually. The Browns had a walk-through practice scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Bitonio said players were lifting and getting rehab like a normal weekday morning when the positive reports swept through the team's facility.

"They were kind of picking guys off one at a time,'' he said. "So it was a little unfortunate. We kind of realized it was going to be more than one or two guys. Everybody got sent home. So it was more of a like, 'Man, what's going to happen?'"

There are now seven NFL teams in those enhanced protocols: the Browns, Rams, Falcons, Bears, Lions, Vikings and the Washington Football Team.

Starting tight end David Njoku and linebacker Anthony Walker were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list last week and missed Sunday's 24-22 win over the Baltimore Ravens. They still have yet to be activated.

Landry and Hooper lead the Browns with 38 and 33 receptions this season, respectively. They both had touchdown catches in the win over Baltimore.

Last month, Teller signed a four-year extension with the Browns worth $56.8 million. Wills, Cleveland's first-round draft pick last year, has been a starter at left tackle the past two seasons.

Cleveland (7-6) is fighting for a playoff spot, with the Browns having a 38.1% chance to make the postseason, according to ESPN's Football Power Index.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he was confident his team can handle the latest adversity.

"We've got pros,'' he said. "Those guys understand what's really important is this game on Saturday. It's a good opponent. It's an AFC game, and we've got to come ready to go."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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