The NFL wants every team to behave as if Covid has already slithered inside their doors.  Dan Graziano of ESPN.com:

Starting this Saturday, all NFL teams must operate under the league’s intensive COVID-19 protocols for the remainder of this season, according to a league memo sent to teams Wednesday afternoon and obtained by ESPN.

Requirements under the intensive protocols, which 28 of the league’s 32 teams have already experienced at some point this season, include virtual team meetings and the wearing of masks by all players and staff at all times while at the facility, including during practice.

“It has been said many times that our 2020 season cannot be ‘normal’ because nothing about this year is normal,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in the memo. “Flexibility and adaptability have been critical to our success to date and we must continue with that approach.”

The league said it made the decision to impose the intensive protocols league-wide because of the heightened recent spread of COVID-19 around the country as well as the data it has been collecting all year regarding close contacts.

All players and staff this year are required to wear contact tracing devices while in the facility and while traveling, so that the league and union can quickly identify close contacts of an individual who tests positive. The league says that since Week 5, teams that have been in the intensive protocols have seen a greater than 50% reduction in close contacts, which both reduces the chances for spread and makes contact tracing easier and more efficient.

To this point, teams have been instructed to enter the intensive protocols when someone in their building has tested positive or when they have recently played against a team that had someone test positive. The league’s memo says 28 teams have already been in the intensive protocols at least once this year and 16 have been in them at least twice.

Details of the intensive protocols include:

A requirement that all meetings be held virtually or in the largest possible indoor space, provided such space has been inspected and approved by the NFL and the NFLPA.

Grab-and-go meal service in team cafeterias.

Limited time spent in locker rooms — less than 15 minutes per person per session, with sessions scheduled so as to minimize the number of people in the locker room at one time.

Masks or league-approved Oakley helmet face shields at all times in every part of the facility, including on the practice field.

“Double PPE” during medical treatment for both the patient and the provider — i.e., a player receiving treatment for an injury must wear both a mask and a face shield during that treatment and so must the doctor or trainer performing the treatment.

A limit of 10 players and five coaches at any one time in the weight room, regardless of the size of the room.

“As we continue through the season, it will likely be necessary to take further steps to address broader conditions,” the memo says. “In conjunction with our medical advisors and the NFLPA, we will continue to incorporate our experience and implement enhancements to the protocols and communicate with each of you on a regular basis.”

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

A tough election campaign has the NFLPA moving on without QB AARON RODGERS.  Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com:

 Aaron Rodgers, one of the dissenting voters when the 32 player representatives narrowly voted to send the new collective bargaining agreement to the full NFL Players Association membership earlier this year, is no longer the Green Bay Packers’ player rep to the union.

“I wasn’t real, real happy about the way things went down,” Rodgers said Wednesday when asked why he’s no longer the Packers’ rep.

The NFLPA announced the new union reps Saturday.

Rodgers was one of 14 player reps who voted against the CBA during a February meeting in Indianapolis that coincided with the annual scouting combine.

At the time, he said in a social media post that his decision to vote “no” was “based off conversations I have had with the men in my locker room that I’m tasked to represent.”

On Wednesday, Rodgers said, “I think from last season, negotiating without a current player in the room, and then the things that happened in Indy and the way that the vote went, I wasn’t real excited about it. I wanted to get involved in an important year, because I thought it was a good look for the union. I can’t say I was heavily involved. I came in to some of the meetings late at the combine, but I think it’s time for somebody else to take that role who wants to spend a week of their life sitting in meetings and going through all that. To me, it’s just not what I want to do at this point in my career.”

Shortly before the CBA passed by a vote of 1,019 to 959, Rodgers said during an ESPN Wisconsin radio appearance he was disheartened by the fact that he sent several electronic messages to his teammates about the talking points of the CBA and “got next to no responses.”

Kicker Mason Crosby is the new Packers representative, according to the NFLPA, and the alternates are linebacker Oren Burks, guard Lucas Patrick and cornerback Jaire Alexander.

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

The Giants have canned their offensive line coach. Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com has the tale:

The New York Giants fired offensive line coach Marc Colombo following a nasty verbal confrontation with head coach Joe Judge, sources told ESPN, and have replaced him with longtime NFL assistant Dave DeGuglielmo.

“We appreciate what Marc has done, but I felt like this move is in the best interest of the team,” Judge said in a statement released by the team Wednesday.

When Colombo was told of a plan by Judge to hire DeGuglielmo as a consultant on Tuesday night, it did not go down well.

Colombo did not agree with the move and felt that he was being undermined, a source told ESPN, due to DeGuglielmo’s background as an offensive line coach. Another source added that the hands-on Judge wanted to bring in “one of his guys” to capture more control at a position that is not his expertise.

Although there was plenty of name-calling, Colombo and Judge did not get into a fistfight, as one report indicated. A Giants spokesperson said the report of a physical altercation is “absolutely false in every way.”

The move to fire Colombo was a surprise considering that the Giants’ offensive line has shown improvement in recent weeks. The Giants have rushed for more than 150 yards in each of their past three games.

Colombo was hired by Judge this offseason to work under Colombo’s former boss Jason Garrett, the offensive coordinator. Colombo was previously line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.

But Judge has been more involved in recent weeks in working with the Giants’ offensive line.

DeGuglielmo was an assistant offensive line coach/quality control with the Giants from 2004 to ’08. He also worked with Judge in New England when he coached the Patriots’ offensive line in 2014 and ’15.

Judge interviewed DeGuglielmo for the offensive line coach job earlier this year.

Colombo, 42, played 10 years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. He worked as an assistant with the Cowboys for each of the previous four seasons.

Among Colombo’s top jobs has been to work with the Giants’ young offensive linemen. Three of their first five picks in this year’s draft were offensive linemen, including No. 4 overall pick Andrew Thomas. Fifth-round pick Shane Lemieux was recently inserted into the starting lineup, and third-round selection Matt Peart has been rotated in.

But Thomas struggled early, and his sloppy technique became a topic of conversation.

“We sat down, had conversations with Andrew, talked about taking [his technique] from the practice field to the game. That is what he’s done lately,” Colombo said last week. “He has a new air of confidence. The past couple weeks he has played really well. His timing has been better. His pass sets have been better. His run blocking has been better. We just have to keep growing. I’ve noticed a more confident Andrew the past few weeks.”

WASHINGTON

John Keim of ESPN.com spends time with Jason Wright, the president of the Washington Football Team.

The Washington Football Team hired Jason Wright as team president in August. Since arriving he’s had to deal with several stories detailing harassment allegations by former employees, a name change and the rebuilding of a culture.

Wright wants to be transparent as the organization tackles off-field issues while trying to resurrect its on-field product.

“There hasn’t been a flow of information out of here in the past,” Wright said.

Former president Bruce Allen kept a tight lid on information and owner Dan Snyder has previously bucked against more transparency. It has been one of the biggest changes under Wright, who talked with ESPN to discuss topics ranging from the franchise’s color scheme, culture, progress on a name and an NFL investigation into the harassment allegations.

Could Football Team be the permanent name?

Maybe. The name can be, in a word, awkward.

Some in the Native American community did not like this as a placeholder, believing it kept Washington from fully moving on from its previous name. Regardless, it’s a possible long-term answer. Wright said he has heard from fans who hope this is the winner.

“It’s definitely in the running,” Wright said. “I don’t think anything is off the table. … With this one, people are excited about the idea of a club has an identity rooted solely in the area it represents. Maybe it’s Football Team or it’s Football Club. We need to get underneath the why, so no matter what direction we go, we can pull on the heartstrings of folks.”

What’s the next step in the name process?

Wright said there are “three lanes” that get them to a new name. The first consists of market analysis, algorithms and market testing. For example, there will be a statistical analysis centered around the fan base, testing merchandise possibilities.

After that comes focus groups.

Wright said recently they were in the discovery phase of ingesting fan input. He said it’s important to not only understand what name fans want, but why.

The final step, he said, will be engaging community leaders, including Native Americans.

“They’re a big part of our fan base,” Wright said, adding it’s not a monolithic community.

He said they have received more than 9,000 emails about a new name, some giving long answers as to why they want a certain one.

No, he joked, Snyder won’t be pulling the winner out of a hat.

When might a name be announced?

It could be another year, though the name might be known internally by early spring. But then they have to go through the trademark process; people have already filed for trademarks on more than 30 potential names for the franchise. That doesn’t mean Washington wouldn’t be able to get the one they want, but it takes time. He wants to announce the name when they not only have one they like, but also when the logo and design is done.

Wright said he doesn’t want a hundred bootleg versions of a logo or design being sold because they announced the name alone.

“The last thing our fan base wants is something messy and embarrassing,” he said.

He said the NHL expansion franchise in Seattle has a “dope name”: the Kraken. But finalizing the name, schemes and logos took about four years. The Los Angeles Rams’ new logo was a two-year process.

“We’ll move a lot faster than that,” Wright said.

Have there been any hints?

Not really, but Wright did explain the approach. He used the name Red Wolves as an example; that became popular among the fan base this summer.

“We could do something around conservation and animal rights,” he said. “That’s a compelling idea; an idea around the fan experience of a howl that would fill the stadium. Underneath for us is to understand why. Are we an environmentally savvy fan base across fan groups?”

But later in the interview he pointed to the organization’s ties to the military. Late last month, in anticipation of the NFL’s Salute to Service month, Wright and senior vice president of player development Doug Williams met with 100-year-old Tuskegee Airman Brigade General Charles McGee. The Red Tails, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, has been mentioned as a possibility as well.

“If you’re repping this area, you have to go big on vets,” Wright said, not just in terms of a name but in the overall actions of the franchise, so a military tie-in wouldn’t be surprising.

Snyder previously applied for trademarks for the name Warriors — it would have been used for an expansion Arena League franchise. That trademarks lapsed, and some Native American leaders said the name would be too closely tied to the former name and, in their eyes, unacceptable.

Will the burgundy and gold stay?

Two other teams in town — the Washington Capitals and Washington Nationals — have red, white and blue color schemes to promote being in the nation’s capital. But the football franchise has used the burgundy and gold since arriving in Washington from Boston in 1937.

Not everyone wants to shed the past, and they might represent a heavy majority.

“It would take a lot to change the burgundy and gold. You can put that one in pen. I don’t see us moving off that at any point,” Wright said. “That’s not actively being considered. … I’ll revise that if it happens, but I don’t see that happening.”

The band also has been a staple — at games and local parades in the offseason — but nothing has been decided about its future. Wright said the organization is trying to decide how to involve it in a new identity.

Since announcing the name change this summer, Washington has included the year of the franchise’s birth — 1932 — on letterheads, logos (on the field) and signage.

“We’re not an expansion franchise,” he said. “That’s what anchors us. … We don’t want to lose that so we’ll be slow to jettison things, but we have to reimagine how everything fits together.”

Is the culture changing?

Washington’s organization has changed dramatically in the past year, thanks in part to a series of investigative articles by the Washington Post focusing on past allegations of harassment in the organization. The first article in July led to the firing of two team employees and the resignation of a third.

The most recent article discussed allegations against Gary Edwards, hired in 2014 as the director of the team’s Original Americans Foundation. According to a source, Washington has severed ties with Edwards and the foundation. The Post article said the team did so after the paper asked for interviews with Edwards and Snyder about how the harassment charges were handled.

Also, Stephan Choi, who oversaw human resources among other jobs as the chief financial officer, is no longer with the team, a source said. On Tuesday, Washington announced the hiring of Greg Resh as its new CFO. Last week, the team hired Andre Chambers for the newly-created position of chief people officer. He’ll oversee the human resources department. In the past, Washington had one person to handle 220 full-time employees, which led to a lot of issues going unresolved, according to multiple former employees.

The word culture has become a buzzword for Washington in the past six months and Wright said he and coach Ron Rivera meet every Friday for up to 90 minutes to discuss it. Wright also said he has an Ask Me Anything session with employees each Friday, and the team has beefed up its parental leave to 16 weeks, which Wright said puts it in line with most in the NFL. Washington also instituted a whistle-blower hotline allowing employees to leave anonymous complaints.

Whether the changes work will likely depend on Snyder, who, former employees said, used to scoff at the mention of improving the culture.

Wright is optimistic.

“Our workforce,” he said, “is eager for change.”

The NFL investigation

It remains ongoing, according to Beth Wilkinson, the attorney leading the investigation. She declined comment and said there would be no statements about any progress or the timeline.

“The more thorough they are the better,” Wright said. “I don’t want stuff popping up later; I want to know it all.”

He said he’s only been in contact with investigators when they want to get in contact with someone to interview. A number of former employees say they have talked with investigators, some have had multiple interviews.

“I am eager for the report,” Wright said. “I’m not afraid of it. Maybe it’s easy for me to say because I wasn’t here. The net benefit is that you can’t fix what you won’t face.”

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

Yep!  QB DREW BREES is pretty banged up.  Mike Triplett of ESPN.com:

The second opinions that were solicited by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees confirmed the original diagnosis of a collapsed lung and a total of five fractured ribs on both sides of his body, a source told ESPN’s Ed Werder on Wednesday.

Doctors have not yet determined a time frame for Brees’ return, according to the source, and Saints coach Sean Payton declined to offer updates on the quarterback position on Wednesday morning.

“No update,” Payton said on his teleconference with the media before joking, “I’m eating a bagel. I was hoping to be chewing it when you asked.”

Payton told reporters on Monday that it wouldn’t benefit the Saints to announce their starting quarterback early in the week — though he did suggest on his weekly WWL Radio show on Monday night that both Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill would be part of the plan if Brees were unavailable.

Winston played most of the second half in New Orleans’ 27-13 win over the San Francisco 49ers after Brees was injured Sunday. But Hill, who is used in an occasional change-of-pace role for the Saints as a run-heavy quarterback even when Brees is healthy, played seven snaps at QB during the second half.

“Both of these young guys have progressed and have advanced, understanding what we’re doing, and there’s a confidence level we have in both players,” Payton said of Winston and Hill on Wednesday morning. “They’re different-type players. But I think it’s a strong room, and we’re gonna lean heavily on a few of these other guys right now.”

The Saints have not made any official declarations on Brees’ status for Sunday’s upcoming home date with the Atlanta Falcons. And they have not yet decided to place him on injured reserve — which would require him to miss at least three games.

Brees shared a picture Monday night of himself breathing into a spirometer, which is typically used to benefit the lungs. Brees was surrounded by his kids in the picture, with the caption reading, “I’ve got the best medical team in the world … will be back in no time!”

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

It is the 49ers turn to kick the tires of DL TAKK McKINLEY.  Adam Maya of NFL.com:

Takkarist McKinley has a new home, and it isn’t far from his hometown.

The Oakland native was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source. The Niners later announced McKinley is available to join the team pending the completion of COVID-19 protocols and the passing of a physical.

The former first-round pick was claimed by the Bengals last week, just two days after the Falcons waived him, but was soon released after failing his physical. Things were even more eventful the week prior.

After being on the trade block and staying put, McKinley revealed via Twitter he’d requested to be dealt last year and this one and that the Falcons turned down a variety of offers for his services, including a second-round pick in 2019. Atlanta, which NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported sought a fourth-rounder for McKinley in 2020, ultimately cut its top selection from the 2017 draft.

His lack of production over the past 15 months was likely the primary reason. McKinley has just 4.5 sacks since the beginning of last season. He’s been limited to just four games this season because of a groin injury and illness.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he would put in a claim for the fourth-year lineman, and it resulted in his acquisition. The two didn’t cross paths in Atlanta, having missed each other by mere months. McKinley, who showed real promise in his first two seasons (13 sacks amid eight starts), now has a golden opportunity to help a defense that’s been decimated by injuries while also serving his own cause as he prepares to hit free agency.

San Francisco also announced it has added rookie defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw to the reserve/Covid-19 list, two days after Arik Armstead was placed on it.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams have turned to a failed Jason Licht draft pick to solve their kicking problems.  PK MATT GAY could make his debut back in Tampa Bay.  Kevin Modesti of the Los Angeles Daily News:

The Rams keep searching left and right for someone who can kick a ball straight.

The hunt for Greg Zuerlein’s replacement continued Wednesday when, as expected, Matt Gay became the fifth kicker to sign a Rams contract this year.       

Gay, 26, a Utah alum who kicked for Tampa Bay in 2019 and was on the Indianapolis practice squad this season, must clear COVID-19 screenings before joining the team.

Either Gay or Austin MacGinnis, the former XFL kicker who is on the Rams’ practice squad, will make his Rams debut against the Buccaneers in Tampa on Monday night.

The move became necessary when an ankle injury in the Rams’ win over Seattle on Sunday forced kicker Kai Forbath to go on injured reserve Wednesday, along with tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee) and safety Taylor Rapp (knee). 

SEATTLE

It has been a slow road back for RB CHRIS CARSON who will miss another game on Thursday.  Brady Henderson of ESPN.com:

The Seattle Seahawks have listed Chris Carson as questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, but a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the starting running back is unlikely to play.

The good news for the Seahawks’ banged-up backfield is that Carlos Hyde (hamstring) will play for the first time since he and Carson (foot) were injured in Seattle’s overtime loss to Arizona in Week 7. The Seahawks (6-3) have been without their top two running backs since.

“They did make it through the week and Carlos looked strong throughout,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday. “Chris, we’re going to wait until tomorrow to figure out what we’re doing with it, but he did practice and looked good in all the stuff that he did. So we’re real close with Chris. Feeling really good that Carlos will be out there.”

The Seahawks also expect to have wide receiver Tyler Lockett available against Arizona (6-3) in a game Seattle needs to win to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 2011, the year before Russell Wilson’s rookie season. Lockett is listed as questionable because of what Carroll described this week as “a bit of a knee sprain.” But Carroll said he doesn’t think there’s any doubt Lockett will play.

“He just looked too good on the practice field today,” Carroll said. “… We do have to see how he is after today. That’s an unknown right now. As much as I’d like to be optimistic about it, which I am, we do have to see what, if anything, happened coming off the work that he had.”

Lockett had the second-most prolific receiving game in franchise history when Seattle and Arizona played in Week 7. With Patrick Peterson neutralizing DK Metcalf, Lockett caught 15 passes on 20 targets for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

He was limited in Wednesday’s practice.

AFC WEST

DENVER

The NFL has had its most serious case of Covid to date as Denver DC Ed Donatell has been in a battle.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has been out all month as he continues to battle COVID-19, and today it was revealed that Donatell spent time in the hospital.

The 63-year-old Donatell hasn’t been with the team for the last three games and today linebacker Alexander Johnson confirmed that Donatell was previously hospitalized.

“I know he’s been in the hospital, we definitely send our prayers up,” Johnson said, via Jeff Lewold of ESPN. “definitely miss him.”

Donatell is now feeling well enough that he has been able to join virtual meetings with the Broncos, but head coach Vic Fangio said he doesn’t expect Donatell back in the building this week. As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the United States, it’s particularly important that the NFL takes all necessary steps to keeping older coaches safe.

KANSAS CITY

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com on QB PATRICK MAHOMES and TE TRAVIS KELCE:

Over the past three seasons, Mahomes and Kelce have connected on 25 touchdown passes. That’s by far the most for a quarterback and tight end during that span and puts them in the company of other greats of the past decade. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski had 25 with the Patriots from 2015 through 2017, and Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham had 26 for the Saints from 2013 through 2015.

Mahomes and Kelce have plenty of time to pass them this season, beginning Sunday night against the Las Vegas Raiders (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC). Frustrated opponents seem to have no doubt that they will.

“They definitely have karma between them,” said Denver coach Vic Fangio, who watched Kelce catch 11 Mahomes passes for 142 yards in the snow against the Broncos last season. “They can ad-lib the routes, and both of them are on the same page when they’re doing that.

“He’s a really tough guy to cover. He’s got size. He’s got great route-running instincts, when to pivot and when not to pivot, when to stay with the exact route. Obviously Mahomes is very comfortable throwing it to him because he’s a big guy, and a lot of times he’s on a [defensive back] so he outsizes him, but yet he runs really good routes.”

Fangio calls it karma. Others might refer to it as chemistry. It could be enhanced by the fact the two are friends off the field. They’ve attended sporting events such as the Final Four together. Following their Super Bowl LIV victory parade the pair showed up together at a Post Malone concert. They participated together over the summer in the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament at Lake Tahoe. It was Kelce who presented Mahomes with his Madden NFL 2020 “99 chain” signifying his perfect rating in the video game.

LAS VEGAS

The Raiders may be without up to 11 players Sunday against the Chiefs due to Covid concerns.  Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com:

The Las Vegas Raiders placed seven more players on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday, bringing the number of players on their list to 11, four days before the Raiders are scheduled to host the Kansas City Chiefs.

Safety Johnathan Abram, defensive tackles Maliek Collins, Johnathan Hankins and Kendal Vickers, defensive end Arden Key, cornerback Isaiah Johnson and practice-squad defensive end David Irving went on the list as high-risk close contacts a day after defensive end Clelin Ferrell and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner went on the list. Ferrell went on the list after a positive test.

Linebacker Cory Littleton and right tackle Trent Brown went on the COVID-19 list on Nov. 12 and Nov. 5, respectively.

“We practiced today and we’ll be ready for the game on Sunday,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden told Kansas City media after an initial NFL Network report said “nearly the entire Raiders starting defense” was going on the list.

“It’s what you have to do. Everybody has to adapt to a lot of things in every phase of life. We had to go through some things before. We’ll be there on Sunday and we’ll be prepared. We’re excited to compete.”

As close contacts, the players could be eligible to return in time to face the 8-1 Chiefs, who are coming off their bye week, on Sunday night, as long as they continue to test negative this week.

An NFL spokesman confirmed Wednesday there is no change in the status of the game, adding that “all clubs have roster flexibility (16 practice squad players) and those high-risk close contact players in quarantine will be eligible to participate in the game provided they continue to test negative.”

The Raiders (6-3) faced a similar situation earlier this season when four starting offensive linemen went on the COVID-19 list as close contacts to Brown, who had tested positive. Left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard Denzelle Good, center Rodney Hudson and right guard Gabe Jackson had to self-quarantine that week and were not cleared to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until Sunday morning.

Also, that game was initially scheduled to be a prime-time telecast but was flexed out with so much uncertainty.

Meanwhile, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that Brown, who has been on the COVID-19 list twice, “could be cleared as early as next week to resume working out.”

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

Covid alert in Cleveland!  An “outside practioner” has Covid and has been in close contact with team members.   Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

The Browns have placed right tackle Jack Conklin, kicker Cody Parkey and long snapper Charley Hughlett on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, but a league source says the team is hopeful they’ll be able to face the Eagles on Sunday.

They join fullback Andy Janovich and swing tackle Chris Hubbard on the list. Both players have tested positive for the virus.

If Conklin and Hubbard can’t play, the Browns will have to make alternate plans at right tackle. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Kendall Lamm would get the nod in that scenario.

The three players added to the list today were identified as high-risk contacts of a non-staff member — an outside practitioner — who tested positive, the source said.

If they continue to test negative, they’ll be able to rejoin the club in time for Sunday’s game. The facility remains open and the Browns are still in intensive protocol, meaning all meetings are being conducted virtually.

The addition of Conklin, Parkey and Hughlett coincides with the Browns keeping Myles Garrett home Wednesday and Thursday because of an illness.

Browns’ Myles Garrett at home until Friday with an illness

If his symptoms dissipate and he continues to test negative, he could be back on the practice field on Friday, a source tells cleveland.com.

If Garrett is suffering from COVID-19-like symptoms, he’ll need to test negative twice in the span of 24 hours before he can rejoin the team.

Garrett leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks and is a leading candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He’s made game-changing plays in each of the Browns’ victories this season, including dropping Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson for a 2-yard loss on a fourth and goal from the 2 in the second quarter of Sunday’ 10-7 victory.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Texans president says that interim honcho and culture creator Jack Easterby won’t be the team’s next GM.  Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:

Team president Jamey Rootes provided some additional clarity Wednesday on the Texans’ head coaching and general manager vacancies.

Since firing coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, the Texans have installed Romeo Crennel as interim head coach and Jack Easterby as interim general manager.

During a Zoom call with season-ticket holders to promote his book “The Winning Game Plan: A Proven Leadership Playbook for Continued Business Success,” Rootes made it clear that the team plans to make new hires for permanent head coach and general manager and not promote from within.

Rootes acknowledged that giving O’Brien so much power was a mistake.

“We gave Bill complete autonomy relative to personnel and that did not work out,” Rootes said. “We admitted it, we’re cool. Hope will spring eternal in January when we introduce a new coach and new general manager.”

The Texans have been researching and vetting multiple candidates for both vacancies, doing background work and contacting and discussing the positions with representatives for candidates , according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly.

And this:

“Jack would be the first person to tell you he’s not a personnel guy,” Texans president Jamey Rootes said. “Jack will not be the General Manager of the Houston Texans. Jack realizes we need personnel expertise to put together the best football team. He doesn’t have enough time in the day. He’s working on sports science, working on nutrition. Spread the word. Jack has no intentions of being the General Manager.”

Who is this Jamey Rootes who can write a book on leadership?  He hails from soccer.

Prior to joining the Texans, Rootes helped to launch Major League Soccer as the president and general manager of the Columbus Crew. During his tenure, the Crew was consistently among the league’s strongest teams both on and off the field, and Rootes was recognized as MLS’s Executive of the Year in 1996 and Marketing Executive of the Year in 1999. Rootes helped lead the construction of Crew Stadium in 1999, which was the first stadium of its type in the United States. This facility earned distinction as America’s Foremost Sports Facility of the Year and led to the development of numerous soccer-specific stadiums across the United States over the past decade, including BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

A native of Stone Mountain, Ga., Rootes graduated Cum Laude from Clemson University’s Calhoun Honors College. While attending Clemson, Rootes was a member of the Tigers’ soccer team that captured two NCAA titles and he served as Student Body President. While earning a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) with honors at Indiana University, he served as an assistant soccer coach for the Hoosiers. Rootes previously held positions at IBM and Procter & Gamble before entering sports. He lives in West University with his wife, Melissa, and their children, Chris and Caroline.

But apparently he has been the Texans president for close to 20 years without his name previously surfacing on the football side.

AFC EAST

MIAMI

Something is afoot with the health of QB TUA TAGOVAILOA.  Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com:

The hip is fine. However, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has his first NFL injury.

After his third start, the rookie first-rounder has landed on the injury report with a foot problem. He nevertheless fully participated in practice on Wednesday, in advance of Sunday’s game at Denver.

The disclosure means that Tua is receiving treatment for the injury, but that it’s not keeping him from performing.

Tua’s history of injuries at the college level became a major concern prior to the draft. After Sunday’s win over the Chargers, I asked him about taking hits at the NFL level.

“I’ve taken a good amount already,” he said, “and I think that’s enough for me.”

Tua explained that he knows the hits will happen, but that he’s trying to be smart and slide when necessary.

There’s no reason to think the foot injury will keep Tua from playing on Sunday. However, it’s a reminder that contact will potentially lead to more injuries. Ideally, all mobile quarterbacks will find a way to use their legs and their brains to avoid taking hits.

NEW YORK JETS

Coach Adam Gase wants you to know that his Jets are playing the best they can.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Jets are the worst team in the league, the favorites to get the first overall pick in the draft, and the likely future home of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But Jets head coach Adam Gase says he’s not thinking about that.

Asked about tanking, Gase said it’s not in the Jets’ vocabulary.

“That’s something that — nobody’s talked about that,” Gase said, via the New York Post.

Most observers would agree that it’s better for the Jets to keep losing and earn the first overall pick than to win a couple games and move behind the Jaguars in the draft order.

“We can’t worry about what anybody else thinks,” Gase said. “We know we’re trying to get guys better that are here and we’re trying to figure out ways to win games.”

For Gase, who’s likely to be fired before he’d get the opportunity to coach Lawrence, there’s no incentive to tank. He wants to win.

THIS AND THAT

GIL BRANDT’S BETTER THAN/WORSE THAN THEIR RECORDS

Gil Brandt identifies three teams that are better than their records, although one of them actually has a pretty good record.  And three that he doesn’t think can sustain to the playoffs:

With 10 full weeks of the 2020 NFL season in the books, the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders. But there are also some teams enjoying better records than their core quality level supports, and vice-versa.

As the stretch run comes into view, let’s take a look at six of the more untrustworthy records in the league. Below, you’ll find three teams that I think are better than their records — and three that are worse.

THREE TEAMS BETTER THAN THEIR RECORDS

Los Angeles Rams   6-3

The .667 winning percentage is impressive, but Los Angeles could easily be 7-2 or even 8-1 if a few things had broken differently in somewhat fluky losses to the Bills in Week 3 and the Dolphins in Week 8. Don’t forget that a controversial fourth-down pass-interference penalty helped keep Buffalo’s game-winning drive alive, while Miami made the Rams only the second team in NFL history to lose a game in which they gained 450 yards while also limiting the opponent to less than 150 yards. This Rams offense is not as explosive as the 2018 iteration — but it’s still in the top seven in the NFL. The defense, meanwhile, is led by the league’s most dominant interior force, Aaron Donald, and ranks No. 2 in points and yards allowed.

New York Giants   3-7

Now that the Giants aren’t beating themselves in games, they’re starting to beat their opponents. It’s no coincidence that their two-game winning streak against NFC East foes Philadelphia and Washington also marked QB Daniel Jones’ first career stretch of consecutive turnover-free contests. After being outscored 236-195 in their 0-4 start to the season, New York has gone 3-3, with the three losses coming by a total of six points. In a division where no one has taken charge, the Giants have a good shot at winning their first NFC East title since 2011.

Atlanta Falcons     3-6

An ongoing inability to close out games during an 0-5 start to the season cost Dan Quinn his job as Falcons coach. But Atlanta has turned things around since, winning three of its last four games under interim coach Raheem Morris. And the schedule is about to present an opportunity to really course-correct, with the next three games featuring two chances to face the NFC South-leading Saints, sandwiched around a showdown with the 6-3 Raiders. This stretch will go a long way toward determining whether the Falcons can still make some noise this season — and whether Morris will be able to remove the interim tag from his title in 2021.

THREE TEAMS WORSE THAN THEIR RECORDS

Chicago Bears     5-5

This isn’t meant as a slight of the Bears’ playoff-worthy defense (ranked 10th in yards allowed and seventh in points allowed) or special teams. And I don’t want to take any credit away from this team for earning comeback wins against the Lions and Falcons, even if those teams have struggled to hold leads this season. Offensive ineptitude is the real problem here, serving as the main culprit in an ongoing four-game skid that threatens to run to five games after the Week 11 bye, when the Packers loom. The Bears’ four opponents after that game — the Lions, Texans, Vikings and Jaguars — do each have their own issues, meaning there will be a chance to remain in the playoff picture. It’s just hard to imagine Chicago, which ranks 31st in yards, 31st in points scored, 25th in passing and 32nd in rushing, taking advantage. And that could spell trouble for coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.

Seattle Seahawks    6-3

A 5-0 start made Russell Wilson an early front-runner for MVP honors — but we’ve seen since that even a quarterback as great as Wilson can only take this Seahawks team so far. Seattle has lost three of its last four games, with two of those defeats (against Arizona in Week 7 and Buffalo in Week 9) coming despite the Seahawks scoring 34 points in each game. That tells you just how bad this defense is, particularly against the pass; Seattle ranks as the worst team in the league in both total and passing yards allowed. The Seahawks have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL heading into Week 11, based on opponents’ winning percentage, and after their upcoming Thursday Night Football showdown with the Cardinals, they will play only more one team that currently sits above .500. I expect Seattle to make the playoffs. But I can’t count on the Seahawks to do much once there, unless there is a stark defensive improvement ahead.

Tennessee Titans    6-3

I was excited about the Titans after their 5-0 start — perhaps too excited, considering four of those early wins came against teams that currently carry losing records (Denver, Jacksonville, Minnesota and Houston) by a combined margin of 12 points. Horrendous third-down defense — stemming from a mediocre pass rush and the absence to this point in the season of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson — and the kicking woes of Stephen Gostkowski are ongoing issues, while the loss of left tackle Taylor Lewan to a torn ACL for the season will hurt the offense. I’m not going to write off this team, considering how hot Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry and Co. got at the end of 2019, but the next three weeks (at Baltimore, at Indianapolis, vs. Cleveland) are pivotal in the tightly bunched AFC.