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Browns continue battling COVID

CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield spent time in Zoom meetings, checked his phone frequently and waited for word on when to report for practice.

In 2020, that’s considered a normal Wednesday for an NFL player.

However, this is anything but a normal week for the Browns.

With a win-and-make-the-playoffs matchup against Pittsburgh looming, Cleveland closed its facility and delayed practice for several hours after the Browns had two more positive COVID-19 tests — including one for an assistant coach — and their schedule disrupted.

But Mayfield, whose fumbles last week in a loss to the New York Jets prevented Cleveland from clinching a wild-card spot, said the team was unfazed by the upheaval.

And as far as he’s concerned, the Browns are already in postseason mode.

“We are in our playoffs, just one week early,” he said. “It is win or go home. That is the mentality for our guys. We have the talent and we have the scheme. We just have to go out there, execute it and do our jobs. We know when we have success and when we have had success this year that has been the case.”

It’s been a rough few days for the Browns, who have nine players currently on the COVID-19 reserve list as they try to make the postseason for the first time since 2002.

Last week, the Browns learned they would be without their top four receivers just hours before kickoff against the Jets. All are eligible to return Thursday — as long as they test negative.

“I think they are just as eager to get back in the building as I am to have them back in the building,” Mayfield said.

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