Getty Images Brian Hill (23) was signed by the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns signed veteran running back Brian Hill on Tuesday after the team saw its depth at the position obliterated by positive COVID-19 tests.
Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton and John Kelly all tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, leaving the Browns with just one healthy back in D’Ernest Johnson. He can carry some of the load, but probably not all of it.
Browns’ RBs Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell ESPN.
Both players are vaccinated, thus their status for Sunday’s game against New England remains in question. Each player would need two negative tests 24 hours apart to play.
Hill played for the Falcons last season, rushing for a career-high 465 yards on 100 carries. He also caught 25 balls for 199 yards. He has a career average of 4.7 yards per carry. The Browns worked out Hill earlier in the season but decided not to sign him. He’ll join the practice squad.
The #Browns signed WR Ja’Marcus Bradley and DT Sheldon Day to the active roster from the practice squad.
Additionally, the team signed RB Brian Hill, S Nate Meadors, and WR Isaiah Zuber to the practice squad and released CB Tim Harris.
The Browns could call Hill up or decide to have their fullbacks — Andy Janovich and Johnny Stanton — function more in ball-carrier roles. Kareem Hunt, the Browns 1-B back, is still recovering from a calf injury.
Chubb and Felton were confirmed to be vaccinated by ESPN, so there is a chance they can play against the New England Patriots this weekend. Each player would need two negative tests 24 hours apart to play.
Chubb in Hunt for Rushing Title
It would sting if Chubb missed the game for many reasons, among those being that he’s in the hunt for the rushing title. With Derrick Henry out for the season, it’s very much a race between Chubb and Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, who is 100 yards ahead of Chubb right now. The Browns star running back is coming off a 137-yard game where he averaged nearly 10 yards per carry.
The Browns inked guard Wyatt Teller to a massive extension on Tuesday but the big man was still sad to hear what was going on with the team’s running backs.
“It sucks. I hope the best for them. I think they were vaccinated. I can’t speak for anybody else, but I really hope that they are back quickly, no symptoms and let’s just hope that it was very minor,” Teller told reporters. “I would not wish that on my enemy. It does suck, but that is something for them to handle and them to work on.”
Browns Offensive Line Clicking on All Cylinders
GettyOffensive tackle Jack Conklin and offensive guard Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns celebrate with running back Nick Chubb.
The hope for the Browns is that they can keep the ground game rolling despite being shorthanded at running back. The offensive line is currently clicking on all cylinders, led by Teller and Joel Bitonio, who have graded out as two of the best guards in the league.
“I would say that is pretty rare to have two guys who can do that and can be put in space and still be physical players,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said after beating the Bengals. “Wyatt was very, very physical yesterday finishing with guys on the ground. Joel was his typical self, as well. Those guys they did a real nice job. The whole offensive line did a really nice job. Obviously, Nick makes some great plays because he is a great player, but those guys I thought were playing very well together up front.”
With Chubb and Hunt out against Denver, Johnson turned in his first 100-yard rushing game, pounding the rock 22 times for 146 yards.