Fresh off COVID-19 list, Browns’ Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton will face Lions: ‘I’m ready for whatever’ – Akron Beacon Journal

BEREA The Browns have the powerful engine of their offense back.

Running back Nick Chubb was activated Friday from the reserve/COVID-19 list, and the two-time Pro Bowl selection will play when the Browns (5-5) face the Detroit Lions (0-8-1) on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"It's great to have No. 24 back," Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett said after Friday's practice."I mean, he's the man, one of the best in the league, and a great locker-room guy."

The Browns announced the move involving Chubb onFriday morning along with the activation of rookie running back/wide receiver Demetric Felton from the same list. Like Chubb, Felton will be active against the Lions.

Chubb and Felton each tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 on Nov. 9 and missed Sunday's 45-7 loss to the New England Patriots. Both players returned to practice Friday.

I didn't really have any symptoms," Chubb said after practice."I felt bad maybe one day, but other than that, I felt great.

"[Last week was] pretty boring. I didn't really do anything. Just hung out at the house."

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Chubb has "fresh legs" and "physically he looks good." Stefanski didn't say he would limit Chubb's plays inhis first game back.

"I think well be mindful of it," Stefanski said,"but I dont have a number in mind at this point.

"His teammates were excited to see him [back]. Nicks very important to what we do and who we are."

Chubb said he feels like himself and is preparedfor a full workload against the Lions.

I'm ready for whatever, he said.

The temperature at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus was 36 degrees during Friday's practice, but Chubb donned shorts without long sleeves under his jersey.

"It's great to see him out here, especially with no sleeves. He doesn't care about this cold," Garrett said.

As Chubb stood at an outdoor interview podium, he admitted the cold bothered him.

"It's killing me now," he said. "I stopped moving now.Now I feel it.

"I like to practice how I play, so I won't have anything on in the game, so that's what I like to have on in practice."

The forecast is calling for cold, rainy weather for Sunday's game.

"This team, they'lltry to run this offense through Chubb," Lions coach Dan Campbell told Detroit reporters Friday. "Hes a special player. If there is such a thing as being underrated, he may be one of these underrated backs in the league. You can argue hes the best or top two or something. Hes a special back. We know theyre going to give him the ball. Hes going to carry a load. Theyre going to commit to it, especially in the conditions were getting ready to face.

"If we dont have population around the football with this guy, or we dont try to wrap up and buy some time for our teammates to get there, this guy will make you look bad. But we understand that, too. Our defense knows that."

Stefanski ruled out the Browns' other star running back, Kareem Hunt, earlier in the week. Hunt remains on injured reserve and will miss his fifth consecutive game Sunday with a calf injury, meaning No. 3 running back D'Ernest Johnson should still have a substantial role against the Lions.

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Chubb, though,is the Browns' best player on offense. In seven games this season, he has120 carries for 721 yards (6 average) and six touchdowns to go along with eight catches for 69 yards. Like Hunt, Chubb suffered a calf injury earlier this season. Chubb missed two games with the calfinjury and another game due to COVID-19.

A sixth-round pick in this year's draft, Felton is a running back, receiver and return man. He has three carries for 16 yards (5.3 average), 13 catches on 14 targets for 147 yards and a touchdown, 26 punt returns for 218 yards (8.4 average) and four kickoff returns for 65 yards (16.3 average) this season.

"Hes going to be OK to play. Hes also going to catch punts out there, as you cansee, until it gets dark,"Stefanski said of Felton, who caught punts after practice.

The Browns need all the help they can get Sunday because a loss to the winless Lions would be thekiss of death for Cleveland's slim playoff hopes.

Chubb said it was hard to watch the Browns get blown out by the Patriots.

"Seeing my team out there and not having things go our way, it was hard for me to watch," Chubb said. "But it's a new week, a new opportunity. We still have everything ahead of us. We got to come out here, had a great practice and got to keep moving forward.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

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Fresh off COVID-19 list, Browns' Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton will face Lions: 'I'm ready for whatever' - Akron Beacon Journal