Denzel Ward Tests Positive, Placed On Reserve/COVID-19 List

COVID-19 is hitting the Cleveland Browns as hard as it has all season and they continued the day before the new year. Cornerback Denzel Ward has tested positive for the virus and will miss at least 10 games minimum. Any player who tests positive must self isolate for 10 days.

This automatically knocks Ward out Sunday against Pittsburgh and possibly the playoff game if the Browns were to get there. Ward is the Browns best defensive player not named Myles Garrett, so this one stings quite a bit for a secondary that has struggled outside of Ward this season.

This makes three Browns players who have tested positive in the last two days, Ward joining Malcom Smith and Harrison Bryant. All around bad timing for a team that is in a must win time of the year. Andrew Sendejo and BJ Goodson were already on the list. A below average defense is going to be pretty bad off for the next 10+ days without Ward, Goodson, Sendejo and Smith available.

Cleveland got back their wideouts and Jacob Phillips, but lost other important players in the wake of those moves. Just a bad time for the Browns, when they really could not afford to have it. Things will be interesting Sunday with the Browns having to field backups due to health, the Steelers fielding backups due to already clinching a playoff spot.