The Cleveland Browns are not exercising the option on starting fullback Andy Janovich's contract, according to a source. The move will make Janovich a free agent when the new league year begins on March 17. Janovich has been a starter his entire career and was a Pro Bowl alternate this past season. The 28-year-old was a sixth-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2016 draft and played four seasons with them before spending the last two years in Cleveland for the run-first Browns offense. There's still a chance that the Browns re-sign him to a deal on the open market, but other teams that rely heavily on the ground game will no doubt be giving Janovich a look in free agency.
The Cleveland Browns are placing fullback Andy Janovich on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday, according to a source. The Browns shut down their facility on Monday after a player tested positive for COVID-19, so we're assuming that Janovich was that player. There's still a chance that he could be cleared from the league's protocols in time to play in Week 11 against the Eagles, but it's not guaranteed. In nine games in his first season in Cleveland, Janovich has just two carries for four yards and has caught two of his three targets for 13 yards in the passing game. He's mainly been a lead blocker for both running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and has no fantasy appeal. Be on the lookout for any high-risk close contacts that Cleveland may have this week.
The Cleveland Browns acquired fullback Andy Janovich from the Denver Broncos on Tuesday in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2021, according to a source. New Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's offense doesn't really rely on a fullback, so Janovich became expendable. Cleveland is looking to upgrade their putrid offensive line and run blocking in particular in 2020, so this move makes sense for them. Janovich has just 13 rushing attempts in his four years in Denver, so he won't be on the fantasy map at all, but he's a nice real-life acquisition and should make life easier for running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Denver Broncos fullback Andy Janovich (elbow) will miss the rest of the season after suffering a dislocated right elbow in the Week 11 loss to the Vikings. He will undergo an MRI exam on Monday to determine if he also has ligament damage. Janovich scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge before his injury. Andy Beck, an undrafted rookie who plays tight end and fullback, replaced Janovich in the second half. Janovich missed the first three games of the year with a partially torn pectoral muscle. His absence the rest of the way is bad news for both running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman.
Andy Janovich
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Browns
