CLEVELAND — As their Week 15 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders approaches, it appears the Cleveland Browns will be without another starter. On Thursday, the Browns added safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. to the reserve/COVID-19 list, marking the 15th player the team has put on the list this week.
With linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and punter Jamie Gillan still currently inactive after missing last week's win vs. the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland currently has 17 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, 11 of whom are starters. The full list of Browns players currently on the COVID-19 list include:
- QB Baker Mayfield
- DT Malik McDowell
- WR Jarvis Landry
- S John Johnson III
- TE Austin Hooper
- OT Jedrick Wills Jr.
- OG Wyatt Teller
- LB Anthony Walker Jr.
- S Ronnie Harrison Jr.
- DE Takkarist McKinley
- CB Troy Hill
- P Jamie Gillan
- DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
- OG Drew Forbes
- WR/KR JoJo Natson (practice squad)
- TE Ross Travis (practice squad)
- S Nate Meadors (practice squad)
Additionally, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski and acting running backs coach Ryan Cordell tested positive for COVID-19 this week.
With John Johnson III and Troy Hill already on the COVID-19 list and cornerback Greg Newsome II having been ruled out for Saturday's game with a concussion, Harrison's potential absence is just the latest blow to an already thin Cleveland secondary. As a result, rookie Richard LeCounte III could be in line for the first significant playing time of the 2021 campaign, with the fifth-round pick having played just five offensive snaps -- all of which came in the Browns' season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Per NFL rules, a vaccinated player can return from the COVID-19 list after returning two negative tests 24 hours apart. Meanwhile, an unvaccinated player is required to remain on the COVID-19 list for at least 10 days after returning a positive test.
Earlier on Thursday, Cleveland activated tight end David Njoku from the COVID-19 list.