Washington QB Heinicke, Browns QB Keenum test positive for COVID-19

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The Cleveland Browns and the Washington Football Team will need to go deep into their benches this weekend after respective quarterbacks Case Keenum and Taylor Heinicke tested positive for COVID-19.

Sources told NFL Network and USA Today on Friday that Heinicke tested positive for COVID-19. Sources told Cleveland.com, NFL Network and ESPN on Thursday that Keenum also tested positive.

The Browns placed starting quarterback Baker Mayfield on the list Wednesday.

Washington placed second-string quarterback Kyle Allen on the reserve/COVID-19 list the same day and doesn't have another quarterback on its active roster.

Quarterbacks Kyle Shurmur and Jordan Ta'amu are on Washington's practice squad. Washington also announced Friday that it signed quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the New England Patriots' practice squad.

Heinicke completed 66.5% of his throws for 2,931 yards, 19 scores and 12 interceptions through 13 games this season. Neither Shurmur nor Ta'amu have thrown a pass in an NFL regular-season game.

Gilbert completed 21 of 38 passes for 243 yards, one score and an interception in his lone career start in 2020 for the Dallas Cowboys.

Washington placed nearly two dozen players on the reserve/COVID-19 list from Monday through Thursday.

Washington battles the Philadelphia Eagles at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The Browns have placed more than 20 players on the list this week, and activated practice squad quarterback Nick Mullens to the active roster Thursday afternoon.

Agent Mike McCartney also tweeted Friday that his client, quarterback Kyle Lauletta, signed with the Browns.

Mullens started 16 games in his three previous NFL seasons. He completed 64.7% of his throws for 2,437 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 games last season for the San Francisco 49ers.

Lauletta last appeared in an NFL regular-season game in 2018 while with the New York Giants. He failed to complete any of his five pass attempts and threw an interception in two appearances that season.

The Browns host the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:30 p.m. EST Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.