Cleveland Browns may still need Nick Mullens on Monday

The Cleveland Browns are now playing on Monday but could still be led by Nick Mullens at quarterback

The Cleveland Browns showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders has been postponed to 5:00 PM EST on Monday, but if that’s not enough time for Baker Mayfield to post two negative Covid tests, then Nick Mullens may need to go for the Browns, with Kyle Lauletta as the backup.

It’s possible that Mayfield, who tested positive sometime prior to Wednesday, could isolate five days and post two negative tests by Monday. Keenum would presumably not have enough time.

Mullens, it will be recalled, has started for the San Francisco 49ers with some success. He isn’t a bum, although we can safely say that they like Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance a little better. But Mullens is capable.

He has five wins as an NFL starter versus 11 losses. He has thrown 25 touchdowns versus 22 passes. That’s not great, coming at a time when the 49ers were in rebuilding mode. However, we’ve seen worse in Cleveland also.

Kyle Lauletta, who was impressive at times in the preseason, has been signed to be the backup quarterback. Welcome back. The Browns need all the help they can get right now.

Moving the game to Monday means that Cleveland could get back several players if they can test negative two consecutive times. Unvaccinated players have to sit out 10 days, however.  They would be pretty much kaput.

However, the early buzz is that Omicron may not be as severe as Delta and the NFL and NFLPA are discussing options with the medical community to loosen restrictions on coming back from it.

Asymptomatic players may – perhaps – be allowed to come back sooner or perhaps may not need two negative tests. That’s all rumor at this point, however. No new agreements have been negotiated as of press time as far as we are aware.

Cleveland is getting Anthony Walker, Jr. off the list, which is great. However, they added eight more players: S Grant Delpit, LB Tony Fields II, CB A.J. Green, S Ronnie Harrison Jr., RB Kareem Hunt, QB Case Keenum, LB Jacob Phillips, and LB Mack Wilson. Also, add offensive assistant coach T.C. McCartney to the list. These eight players presumably cannot isolate five days in time for Monday.

That’s on top of the following:  HC Kevin Stefanski, RB Coach Ryan Cordell,  QB Baker Mayfield, WR Jarvis Landry, CB Troy Hill, DT Malik McDowell, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, S John Johnson, TE Austin Hooper, OT Jedrick Wills, G Wyatt Teller, DE Takk McKinley, WR Jojo Natson, and DE Jadeveon Clowney. Some of these players could be back by Monday.

Running back Kareem Hunt was already out with an ankle injury on top of the Covid-19. Cornerback Greg Newsome and wide receiver Anthony Schwartz are out with concussions.

If any of Dawg Pound Daily fans can play, please report to 76 Lou Groza Blvd for tryout camp 900 Monday morning. You don’t have to be able to clock a 4.5 40-yard dash, but a good attitude is a must.