Jadeveon Clowney Tests Postive for COVID-19, The League may Consider Moving Game

Jadeveon Clowney is the latest Cleveland Browns player to test positive amid reports the NFL may be trying to move the game.

The Cleveland Browns have lost yet another high profile starter to COVID-19 as defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has tested positive per Kimberly A. Martin of ESPN. That brings the total to 20 players on the active roster that are currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

The #Browns have lost another starter for the #Raiders game:

Jadeveon Clowney has tested positive for Covid.

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) December 17, 2021

It also makes another position criminally undermanned as the Browns were almost limited on the edge. In addition to Clowney, the Browns were already without Takkarist McKinley and Ifeadi Odenigbo.

Aside from Myles Garrett, the Browns have practice squad options including Porter Gustin and Curtis Weaver. Sheldon Day could potentially play on the edge as well, but he may also be necessary to help fill in at defensive tackle.

Baker Mayfield
Jarvis Landry
Austin Hooper
Wyatt Teller
Jedrick Wills
Takk McKinley
Malik McDowell
Anthony Walker Jr.
John Johnson III
Troy Hill
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Jamie Gillan
Ronnie Harrison
Case Keenum
Grant Delpit
AJ Green
Jacob Phillips
Mack Wilson
Tony Fields
Jadeveon Clowney

— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) December 17, 2021

Up to this point, the league has not budged on any thoughts of moving the game. However, ESPN's Dan Graziano is reporting the possibility is at least being discussed.

I am being told there have been NFL/NFLPA discussions today about rescheduling Saturday’s Raiders-Browns game, likely to Monday or Tuesday. A decision could be announced within the next hour, before Raiders are scheduled to travel to Cleveland.

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) December 17, 2021

Moving the game to Monday or Tuesday would be a significant deal for the Browns. They could see a number of their asymptomatic players return in that time. Shorter term, that may help. The additional challenge for the Browns is they are scheduled to play the Green Bay Packers the following Saturday.

It also doesn't help that players are still testing positive, which won't be available even  if the game is moved in no small part because of the NFL. The league is trying to play a shell game to shirk blame. Moving the game would help, but the NFL told the team to test only unvaccinated and symptomatic players before practicing. After the practice, they then made everyone else test, producing more positive results.

So the team is practicing with players it won't be able to use while exposing the rest of their roster for the virus, then causing them to miss time. That is the case with Clowney, linebackers Mack Wilson and Tony Fields II, who all tested positive on Friday.

If that's not bad enough, the Las Vegas Raiders are trying to push for the Browns to forfeit despite the fact the protocols specifically state forfeiting as a result of COVID-19 is regarding unvaccinated players. The Browns entire roster has just one player that is unvaccinated.

The Las Vegas Raiders have been made aware that the league is discussing a potential scheduling change with the Browns game, per source. Las Vegas has been fighting it, believing that protocols over the summer were clear that teams with outbreaks had to forfeit.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 17, 2021

READ MORE: Browns Signing QB Kyle Lauletta, LB Mack Wilson Latest to Test Positive for COVID-19