As the NFL enters the home stretch of the 2021 schedule, the league has been rocked by COVID-19 in a way it hasn’t been since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the NFL recorded a total of 37 positive player tests, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the highest number of positive tests since the start of the pandemic. That number was eclipsed on Tuesday when 38 other players tested positive, bringing the total to 75 in the first two days of the week only.
The number of players added to the reserve / COVID-19 rosters has not slowed since, with the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams and Washington football team among the hardest hit, with all teams battling for the positioning in the playoffs.
Today was the most positive NFL player count since Covid started.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 13, 2021
In response, the NFL reschedules games (much to the chagrin of some teams). Schefter reports that the Browns’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders will be moved from Saturday to Monday. Washington’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Rams’ game against the Seattle Seahawks will both be moved from Sunday to Tuesday.
Seahawks at Rams and WFT at Eagles are now scheduled to be rescheduled for Tuesday, sources say.
If the postponed matches had been called off, the players would not have been paid for the week.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
It comes a day after the NFL adjusted its COVID-19 protocols:
“From now on, all clubs will implement preventive measures that have proven to be effective: masking regardless of vaccination status, remote or open-air meetings, elimination of in-person meals and no outside visitors when traveling. as a team. We will continue to strongly encourage booster injections as the most effective protection. Finally, and based on expert advice, we will adjust the return-to-participation requirements for those who have recovered from COVID-19 All of these changes are rooted in our data and science-based approach, with safety being our number one goal for the entire NFL community. ”
New Memo on NFL and NFLPA Adjusted COVID-19 Protocols pic.twitter.com/wC98yqlVUQ
– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2021
Below is an overview of why such measures were necessary; a look at this week’s games involving teams in the playoff hunt and impacting players from those games recently arriving on the Reserve / COVID-19 roster. This will be updated as more information becomes available.
Browns: 1 game behind the Ravens in AFC North and tied for the last Wild Card (Colts, Bills hold the tiebreaker)
Key Browns players: S Grant Delpit, P Jamie Gillan, DB Ronnie Harrison, DB Troy Hill, TE Austin Hooper, RB Kareem Hunt, DB John Johnson, QB Case Keenum, WR Jarvis Landry, QB Baker Mayfield, DT Malik McDowell, G Wyatt Teller, T Jedrick Wills
Depth players released: LB Tony Fields, G Drew Forbes, CB AJ Green, LB Jacob Phillips, DE Takkarist McKinley, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, LB Mack Wilson
Washington: tied for last Wild Card (holds tiebreaker against Vikings, Eagles, Falcons, Saints)
Key players in Washington: DT Jonathan Allen, QB Kyle Allen, DB Kamren Curl, DB Kendall Fuller, QB Taylor Heinicke, DT Matt Ioannidis, T Cornelius Lucas, DE James Smith-Williams, DE Montez Sweat
Depth players released: DB Troy Apke, LB Milo Eifler, DB Darrick Forrest, LB Khaleke Hudson, C Tyler Larsen, LB David Mayo, TE Sammis Reyes, DT Tim Settle, WR Cam Sims, RB Wendell Smallwood, DE Casey Toohill, DL Daniel Wise
Eagles: tied for last Wild Card (Washington, Vikings hold the tiebreaker)
Key Eagles players: WR Quez Watkins
Seahawks: 1 game behind on Wild Card
Key Seahawks Players: RB Alex Collins, WR Tyler Lockett
Rams: Game 1 behind Cardinals in NFC West and No.1 seed in NFC
Key Ram players: WR Odell Beckham, DB Donte Deayon, DB Jordan Fuller, T Rob Havenstein, RB Darrell Henderson, TE Tyler Higbee, NT Sebastian Joseph, LB Von Miller, DB Jalen Ramsey, LB Troy Reeder
Depth players released: T Tremayne Anchrum Jr., DB Antoine Brooks Jr., DB Terrell Burgess, G Jamil Demby, G Bobby Evans, DB Jake Gervase, DB Grant Haley, LB Justin Hollins, TE Brycen Hopkins, DB Juju Hughes, T Alaric Jackson, LB Justin Lawler, TE Johnny Mundt, LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, DB Kareem Orr, LB Christian Rozeboom
Cardinals: tied for best NFC record (Packers, Buccaneers organize tiebreaker)
Key Cardinals players: C Rodney Hudson
Lions: eliminated
Key Lions players: DB Tracy Walker, RB Jamaal Williams
Depth players released: DB Jalen Elliott, DB Mark Gilbert, DB Ifetu Melifonwu, DB Bobby Price
Jets: eliminated
Key Jets players: WR Elijah Moore
Depth players released: WR Jeff Smith, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen, DB Justin Hardee
Dolphins: 1 game behind the final Wild Card
Key Dolphins players: DB Jevon Holland, WR Jaylen Waddle
Depth players released: RB Phillip Lindsay
Cowboys: 1 game behind the best NFC record
Giants: 2 games behind the final Wild Card
Key Giants players: DB Adoree ‘Jackson, DB Xavier McKinney, WR Kadarius Toney
Depth players: LB Cam Brown, DB Aaron Robinson, WR John Ross, LB Oshane Ximines
Bengals: 1 game behind the Ravens in the AFC North, tied for the last Wild Card (Bills and Browns hold the tiebreaker)
Missing Bengals key players: DB Chidobe Awuzie
Depth players released: LB Clay Johnston
Broncos: tied for the Wild Card (Colts, Bills, Browns, Bengals hold the tie-break)
Key Broncos players: LB Malik Reek
Depth players: RB Mike Boone, DB PJ Locke
Packers: Tied for best NFC record (holding tiebreaker against Bucs, Cardinals)
Key players in the Packers: NT Kenny Clark
Ravens: Lead Browns and Bengals by 1 game in AFC North
Key Ravens players: DB Chuck Clark
Depth players: C Trystan Colon
Saints: tied for the last Wild Card (Washington, Vikings, Eagles, Falcons hold the tie-break)
The holy keys out: Head Coach Sean Payton
Buccaneers: tied for best NFC record (Packers hold tie-break)
Vikings: tied for last Wild Card (Washington holds the tiebreaker)
Key Vikings players: BY Danielle Hunter
Depth players released: WR Dan Chisena, RB Alex Mattison, WR Dede Westbrook
Bears: 2 games behind Wild Card
Key Bears players: T Larry Borom, DB Eddie Jackson, WR Allen Robinson, DB Duke Shelley
Depth players: DB Artie Burns, QB Andy Dalton, DT Mario Edwards, NT Eddie Goldman, LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe, TE Jesse James, RB Ryan Nall
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