BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – With Jarvis Landry on injured reserve for at least three weeks, head coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff are left to figure out how to replace their most reliable receiver.
Their depth at the position should allow Stefanski and the Browns to get by while Landry gets healthy.
“Like anything, you do not replace Jarvis, but guys have to step up and those opportunities will go elsewhere,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “It remains to be seen who gets those opportunities, but certainly, you lose a player of Jarvis’s caliber, you have to have guys who step up.”
Aside from the projected return of Odell Beckham Jr., the most logical replacements are Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins.
Higgins caught two passes for 27 yards Sunday, his first catches of the season, filling in for Landry.
“For him to be able to fill in and step up, that takes a lot of communication, a lot of reps and experience from his part,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “That is big time for him to be able to be ready to go.”
Peoples-Jones has been targeted just twice through two games this season, catching both passes for 18 yards, but he lost a fumble against the Texans.
“Donovan is a patient guy regardless. He knows he is one of those guys that the catches are going to come to him,” Mayfield said. “That is kind of how last year went. He is trusting the process, as well. He is a great teammate. He is trying to do anything he can to help us win on special teams or offense.”
Fields day – The Bears announcing that former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields will start Sunday removed any mystery as to who the defense should prepare for this week.
“He is a really good athlete. He was awesome in college,” linebacker Malcolm Smith said. “It seems like he can make every throw, and obviously, he can make plays with his legs. We are just going to try and challenge him. I am sure they are going to have some special stuff built in for him because he is a high draft pick and a special player. We just go out and try to handle it.”
At Ohio State, Fields completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 5,373 yards, 63 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 867 yards on 2018 carries with 15 touchdowns on the ground.
In two games Fields, who replaced an injured Andy Dalton Sunday, has completed 8 of 15 passes for 70 yards and an interception.
“He’s a beast,” rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II said. “He’s electric, as well. He’s a rookie quarterback, obviously, too, but he’s a really, really good player.”
Fields is the third duel threat quarterback the Browns will face in as many weeks. They had Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 and Tyrod Taylor last week before he left at halftime due to a hamstring injury.
“He is dynamic. He can make plays with his feet and can make plays certainly with his arm,” Stefanski said.
Class of ‘22 nominees – Four Browns are among the 122 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022.
Eric Metcalf, Josh Cribbs, Michael Dean Perry and Earnest Byner made the first cut.
The list of modern-era nominees will be reduced to 25 in November and then 15 in January before the final vote on the class Super Bowl weekend.
Throwback week – The Browns will debut their throwback mashups Sunday against the Bears.
Wednesday, the Oreo stripes were removed from players’ helmets and the brown facemasks swapped out for grey for practice. A singular white stripe with grey numeral decals will be applied to helmets for the game that will see them wear their 1946 replica jerseys with their current white pants.
Davis to practice squad – Receiver Davion Davis, waived after his two-week suspension to begin the season expired, cleared waivers and was signed to the practice squad.
Injury report – FULL: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (knee), QB Baker Mayfield (left shoulder), WR Anthony Schwartz (knee), LB Malcolm Smith (knee); LIMITED: LG Joel Bitonio (back), DE Jadeveon Clowney (knee), RT Jack Conklin (knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (knee); DNP: C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle), OT Chris Hubbard (triceps), LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring)
Up next – Practice Thursday