There were a lot of unfamiliar faces playing prominent roles in the Cleveland Browns’ Week 16 loss to the New York Jets. The team snap counts reflect just how depleted the roster was by a combination of injuries and a last-minute COVID-19 situation that sent six players to the reserve list less than 20 hours before kickoff.
As an example, Ja’Marcus Bradley was on the field for 77 of Cleveland’s 81 offensive snaps. The wide receiver had played 15 total snaps all season before Sunday’s game. Marvin Hall, who started at WR for the Detroit Lions in Week 12, played 74 in his first action in Cleveland.
Nick Harris got his first career start at right guard and went the distance. Kendall Lamm also earned ironman status at left tackle.
Nick Chubb out-snapped Kareem Hunt at RB, 47 to 35. The two were on the field together for the Browns’ first offensive snap and then divvied up the rest of the game.
Tight end David Njoku seemed poised for a bigger role with his WR-like skills, but he saw his normal level of action at just below 40 percent of the snaps. Rookie Harrison Bryant had 67 at tight end, more than Austin Hooper (59) and Njoku.
On defense, four players never left the field: CBs Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell, safety Karl Joseph and end Olivier Vernon. All played all 69 snaps.
Myles Garrett played 58 as he continues to struggle with the lingering effects of his COVID-19 infection. Mack Wilson, a healthy scratch in Week 15, was forced into playing almost half the reps on defense (32 of 69). Elijah Lee and Tae Davis also made rare appearances at linebacker. Normally they strictly play on special teams, but Lee had three reps on defense, Davis two.