The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Beckham tests negative for coronavirus
Tests administered Oct. 15came back negative for all Browns players and staff, including Odell Beckham Jr.
Tests for COVID-19 administered Oct. 15 came back negative Oct. 16 for all Browns players and staff, including wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns announced, but Beckham isn’t completely out of the woods.
Beckham felt ill Oct. 15 and was sent home before practice. He was not at the team facility in Berea and did not practice Oct. 16, per COVID-19 protocol agreed to by the NFL and players’ union. A player who feels ill, in this case Beckham, has to test negative again before he can rejoin his team.
The Browns are hopeful Beckham’s Oct. 16 test will also return negative so the star wide receiver can travel with the team to Pittsburgh on Oct. 17 to play the Steelers on Oct. 18. Beckham was listed as questionable on the Oct. 16 injury report.
“With another negative test tomorrow, he’s back in the building, and we’ll work through all the travel protocols,” Coach Kevin Stefanski said on Zoom after practice Oct. 16. “He was out here Wednesday and got some good work in. He’s been in meetings virtually. (Pass game coordinator/wide receivers) Coach (Chad) O’Shea is going to spend extra time with him in those meetings.
“If all goes according to plan for tomorrow, you spend even more time and you spend even more walkthrough time. I think there’s enough time to catch
him up, barring his health.”
Beckham’s sidekick, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, was limited in practice Oct. 16 after being unable to practice the previous two days. He is battling hip and rib injuries.
“He’s progressing,” Stefanski said. “He is a very, very tough dude. He has spent a lot of time in the training room getting his body right, but he’s making a push to Sunday like he always does.”
Landry has never missed a game in his NFL career, which began in 2014 with the Dolphins.
He played 64 games with Miami and 37 so far with the Browns. He has 21 catches for 279 yards this season. He hasn’t scored a touchdown, but 14 of his
catches have been for first downs.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield had full participation in practice Oct. 16 and is listed as questionable for the Steelers. Case Keenum would start against the Steelers if Mayfield has an unexpected setback.
“With Baker, I think he’s trending in the right direction, but we have to make sure that we’re safe with this as this goes and use all these hours for treatment and see how he responds,” Stefanski said. “Like we’ve been saying all along, he’s improving every day.”
As a precaution, the Browns on Oct. 16 signed quarterback Kyle Lauletta to the practice squad. Lauletta was a fourth-round draft pick by the Giants
in 2018. He played in two games as a rookie and was 0-for-5 passing with one interception.
He was on the Eagles’ practice squad last season and started 2020 on Atlanta’s practice squad before being released.
The Browns could promote Lauletta to the active roster for Oct. 18.
Safeties Karl Joseph (hamstring) and Ronnie Harrison (concussion) have been ruled out for the game with Pittsburgh. Right guard Wyatt Teller (calf) and linebacker Jacob Phillips (knee) are also out.
The injuries to Joseph and Harrison mean Sheldrick Redwine will start at strong safety.
Andrew Sendejo will start at free safety.