Ineligible Man Downfield: The Browns' Tuesday could have gone better
A lot went wrong for Cleveland ahead of the playoffs.
Tuesday was full of bad Browns news.
Kevin Stefanski, the Browns’ head coach, tested positive for coronavirus and won’t be able to coach this weekend in the team’s first postseason game since 2007. Two players were cited for drag racing. Joel Bitonio, the team’s long-tenured elite guard who just spoke to the team about making it this far, won’t be available for the playoffs after he tested positive. And that’s just some of the Browns news from Tuesday.
What a day for a franchise that just accomplished something extremely meaningful.
Olivier Vernon and the perpetual need for pass rush.
On a human level, Olivier Vernon tearing his Achilles on Sunday is crushing. He’s been playing some of his best football in a Browns uniform in the last several weeks and his contract is up at the end of the year. Achilles injuries are also notoriously hard to come back from and Vernon is 30. It’s going to be a tough road back for him and it’s likely he is out all of next season.
For the Browns, Vernon’s injury only exacerbates the need for pass rushers not named Myles Garrett. Porter Gustin is a fine rotational defensive and Adrian Clayborn is a solid defensive who will be 33 next year. (He could also save the Browns $3 million if cut, which might be a numbers crunch reality if the NFL’s cap situation gets as bad as some think.) That’s just not enough bodies.
So, come free agency and come the NFL Draft, the Browns are going to have to add pass rushing help in the form of multiple pieces. Maybe there’s a trade to be made too. Garrett is elite, but it can’t be all on him. Vernon’s injury only makes that even more true. — Chris Manning
ICYMI
Joel Bitonio and KhaDarel Hodge also tested positive and won’t play
Meanwhile, Jedrick Wills and Rashard Higgins were cited for drag racing on Tuesday
And here’s the Olivier Vernon news
Clay Matthews Jr. is a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist
Dante Exum will miss 1-2 months with a strained calf
Notice Isaac Okoro isn’t on the Cavs’ injury report for Wednesday
FanGraphs rates Nolan Jones as Cleveland’s top prospect
The team’s early training camp is also on hold due to COVID-19 concerns
One thing to read today
Who we are
Chris Manning: Site Manager at Fear the Sword, co-host of the Locked on Cavs podcast, words at places like Cleveland Magazine and Forbes. On Twitter @cwmwrites
Jordan Zirm: Social editor at @TheCheckdown. Formerly of ESPN Cleveland. Words at B/R, SB Nation and UPROXX. Host of The Rebuild podcast. On Twitter @clevezirm
Alex Hooper: Contributor at Fantasy Sports Insight. Former Cleveland Baseball Club beat writer for 92.3 the Fan (WKRK), and contributor at Sports Illustrated, Let’s Go Tribe, and the News-Herald. On Twitter @lexhooper.
Photos: Getty