Bitonio, Conklin return to practice

It’s looking like the Joel Bitonio Five is back together.

Left guard Joel Bitonio was activated from the COVID-19 list before the Browns practiced Jan. 15. Right tackle Jack Conklin practiced on a limited basis after being held out of practice the previous two days with knee and hamstring injuries.

Bitonio will start Jan. 17 when the Browns play the Chiefs in an AFC Divisional playoff game.

He missed the wild-card playoff game while on the COVID list after testing positive Jan. 5.

Conklin was injured in the first half of the game with the Steelers.

He is listed as questionable for the game with the Chiefs.

Backups on the offensive line performed admirably to help the Browns beat the Steelers, 48-37, in a wildcard playoff game Jan. 10, but the chances of beating the Chiefs increase if left tackle Jedrick Wills, center JC Tretter and right guard Wyatt Teller are joined by Bitonio and Conklin.

“I think it is a big deal, getting a good player back,” Coach Kevin Stefanski said. “(Bitonio) is excited to be back, as you can imagine. He looks good.

“Similarly, (Conklin) has been a good player for us. We’ll see how the next few hours go with all of those guys. Obviously, you want to go into the game with the full complement of your players. We’ll see how it shakes out.”

The Browns are healthier than they’ve been in weeks — if you don’t count offensive linemen Chris Hubbard, Nick Harris and Michael Dunn, defensive end Olivier Vernon and cornerback Robert Jackson being added to the crowded injured reserve list over the last 20 days.

No players remain on the Browns COVID-19 list. No Browns were listed as “out” on the Jan. 15 injury report.

The Chiefs will be without wide receiver Sammy Watkins (calf) and linebacker Willie Gay (ankle). Both were listed as out.

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan returned from the COVID list Jan. 13. He was forced to miss the last two games after testing positive.

Tight ends coach Drew Petzing and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard were with their players for practice Jan. 15 for the first time since testing positive Jan. 5.

“First and foremost, you concern yourself with everybody’s health and wellbeing,” Stefanski said. “Any time somebody’s back in the building, it means they’re healthy enough to be back in the building. Obviously, we want to get everybody back here as quickly as possible but as safe as possible.”

Bitonio, not surprisingly, is thrilled to be back. He was a rookie in 2014 and is the longest tenured Brown.

He played 2016-20 without missing a game until the positive COVID test forced him to miss the Browns’ first playoff game in 18 years.

Bitonio had to watch the game from his basement. And then he heard this noise outside when the game ended and the Browns won, 48-37.