Which Cleveland Browns could return from the COVID list Monday?

Currently, there aren’t a lot of details on who will play for the Cleveland Browns in a game that’s in less than 12 hours. Here is a timeline from the week.

The Cleveland Browns are set to take on the Las Vegas Raiders in one of two rescheduled games in the NFL this week. After having 20-plus positives on the team, the NFL moved the game to Monday at 5 PM EST vs. the regularly scheduled Saturday afternoon game.

At this exact moment, that movement has only helped bring back Takk McKinley and Wyatt Teller for the game. Both are good players, but not nearly the firepower the Browns need to win this game.

Let me be clear, this is all speculation because we won’t likely have an answer until lunchtime today on who else returns, but below is a timeline that can help us predict.

The first batch of players to hit the list on Tuesday, Dec. 14 were; Teller, McKinley, Jarvis Landry, Jedrick Wills, and Austin Hooper. Remember, we don’t know who’s vaccinated or who has symptoms, but Landry, Wills, and Hooper seem like the best shot at returning.

On Dec. 15, the Cleveland Browns added Baker Mayfield, Troy Hill, John Johnson, Malik McDowell, Ifeadi Odenigbo to the COVID list. This is also the same day that Kevin Stefanski tested positive.

There’s reason to believe these guys have a shot as well. Mayfield posted he doesn’t have symptoms and is hoping for a negative test on Monday, which leads me to believe that would allow him to be active.

The following players tested positive on Dec. 16 or after and seem like long shots to play. Jadeveon Clowney, Jacob Phillips, Mack Wilson, Tony Fields, Ronnie Harrison, and Grant Delpit.

This means in even a best-case scenario, the Browns will be without three crucial players on the defense, and a worst-case where they are down their three top safeties and two top quarterbacks.