Cleveland Browns send some players home after positive COVID case

The Cleveland Browns were hit hard with COVID-19 cases last season and it’s beginning again as they had a positive test Tuesday during the offseason program

Hearing about positive cases is something we hoped would be in the past, but with the Cleveland Browns still in the early phases of their offseason programs, there’s already been a positive case.

News broke on Tuesday that one player for the Browns tested positive and others were sent home. Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk gave credit to Lindsay Jones of the Athletic for breaking the news.

Williams also said that the players who were sent home have had their first round of COVID vaccines but were waiting for their second shot. It’s not mandatory for players to get the vaccine but head coach Kevin Stefanski has encouraged it, and it’s no secret why.

Even if we look past the simple health factor, Stefanski surely doesn’t want a repeat of 2020. That season, they lost players such as Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward to the COVID protocol but their worst regular-season defeat was also due in large part to the virus.

Looking to lock up a playoff spot against the lowly New York Jets, Cleveland had to take the field without their entire receiving corps, calling up Ja’Marcus Bradley from the practice squad late in the week.

They did still make the playoffs when they were able to knock off Pittsburgh in Week 17 but then had to take that same team on in the playoffs without their coach who tested positive.

Hopefully, this one will be an isolated event for the team as they prepare to look for back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since returning to the NFL.