Category: COVID-19

Chiefs DE Frank Clark dealing with dehydration issues after bout of COVID-19

#Chiefs DE Frank Clark revealed to reporters that he came down with COVID-19 after the preseason finale and has dealt with dehydration issues since.

Kansas City Chiefs DE Frank Clark was the lone player to miss a practice this week and we now know why.

According to reports from the KC Star’s Jesse Newell and Nate Taylor of The Athletic, Clark is still recovering from a bout with COVID-19. He told reporters in the locker room that he felt symptoms come on after the team’s final preseason game back on Aug. 25th. He tested positive for COVID and spent the following week-plus recovering before eventually testing negative.

Clark was back on the practice field this week. He dealt with dehydration following Wednesday’s practice and missed practice on Thursday as a result. He was back on the practice field on Friday during the portion of practice open to media members.

Andy Reid said that barring a setback, Clark should be ready to play come Sunday.

At the same time, expect a healthy dose of Mike Danna, George Karlaftis and Carlos Dunlap against the Cardinals. Even if Clark is over the dehydration issues, missing a practice puts him a little behind the eight ball for the upcoming game.

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Chiefs place TE Mark Vital on practice squad COVID-19 list

The #Chiefs placed developmental TE Mark Vital on the practice squad COVID-19 list on Wednesday.

The Kansas City Chiefs have placed a player on the practice squad COVID-19 list.

According to the NFL’s official personnel notice for Wednesday, the Chiefs placed developmental TE Mark Vital on the practice squad COVID-19 list due to a positive test. This list functions as the normal Reserve/COVID-19 list, but for practice squad players. He’ll join fellow practice squad teammate Josh Jackson as the only two players currently on any COVID-19 lists for Kansas City.

Vital, 25, is a former college basketball player from the Baylor Bears undergoing a conversion to the tight end position. He joined the practice squad back in September, and he has been working to make the switch ever since. Despite some injuries and COVID issues at the tight end position earlier this season, Vital has not yet been elevated to the 53-man roster this season.

Wednesday was the first day that players were back in the building for the team following their Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos. There shouldn’t be any concern about spread as a result of this positive test.

Vital will fall under the NFL’s most recent COVID-19 return-to-play protocols. That means he’ll need a minimum of one negative test result in order to be restored to the practice squad.

This shouldn’t impact the team’s ability to prep for the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the wild-card round. The team currently has three tight ends on the 53-man roster in addition to Nakia Griffin-Stewart and Matt Bushman on the practice squad.

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Saints downgrade Marcus Williams and Erik McCoy vs. Panthers

Saints downgrade starters Marcus Williams and Erik McCoy vs. Panthers after activating them from COVID-19 reserve

That’s discouraging. The New Orleans Saints initially listed stating center Erik McCoy and free safety Marcus Williams as questionable to play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday after activating both players from the COVID-19 reserve list, but they’ve since been downgraded and ruled out of Week 17’s home finale.

It means that backups will be starting at each spot in their place: look for Will Clapp to be called up from the practice squad and snap the ball to Taysom Hill while P.J. Williams gets a heavier workload at safety. There’s potential for trouble in both situations; let’s hope the Saints coaches have prepared both backups for what’s in front of them.

New Orleans is already down two other starters on the offensive line — right tackle Ryan Ramczyk remains in COVID protocol and left guard Andrus Peat is out for the season with an injury. Left tackle Terron Armstead is questionable to play after missing time with his own injury. There’s a real possibility that second-year right guard Cesar Ruiz, the unit’s weakest link this season, is the only available starter up front. Good luck, Taysom Hill.

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Saints activate Erik McCoy and Marcus Williams, questionable to play vs. Panthers

Saints activate Erik McCoy and Marcus Williams from COVID-19 reserve, questionable to play vs. Panthers

Let’s start with the good news: the New Orleans Saints activated two key starters on Saturday, bringing both center Erik McCoy and free safety Marcus Williams off of the COVID-19 reserve list. But that’s not enough for them to suit up in Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

Both starters need to finish clearing the NFL’s COVID protocols before they can join the team and dress out, meaning they need one more negative test result to gain clearance. For now, they’re each officially listed as questionable to play against the Panthers. Don’t expect a resolution until about 90 minutes before kickoff when each team reports their inactive lists.

Obviously it would be huge to get both players back in the lineup. McCoy has had to work overtime keeping the offensive line afloat with injuries all around him. Williams has been maybe their most consistent defensive back. If they aren’t able to play, look for backup lineman Will Clapp to start in McCoy’s place at the pivot while P.J. Williams fills in for the Saints’ franchise-tagged safety.

Additionally, the Saints designated tight end Nick Vannett to the COVID-19 reserve list while activating practice squad defensive tackle Malcolm Roach from it.

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Jaguars bring 7 players back from Reserve/COVID-19 list, sign OL D.J. Fluker to practice squad

The Jags will be closer to full strength this week, with several starters returning to the fold.

Jacksonville was shorthanded in Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets, missing several starters on both sides of the ball. That isn’t much of an excuse for the loss, as New York was forced to reach even further down its depth chart as 15 of its own players were on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, but it certainly didn’t help things for the Jags.

The team will be closer to full strength this week for the team’s difficult road matchup against the likely playoff-bound New England Patriots, as it will be getting seven players back from the COVID-19 list. Those players include key starters in edge rusher Josh Allen, linebackers Myles Jack and Damien Wilson, as well as receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. The team also gets tight end Luke Farrell and edge rusher Jordan Smith back, while rookie running back Travis Etienne is off the Reserve/COVID-19 list and back to the injured reserve.

The team also added a player to the practice squad in guard D.J. Fluker, a former first-round pick with 96 starts in 108 career games. He began the 2021 season on the Miami Dolphins roster but was placed on the injured reserve on July 29 and released four days later. He landed with the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad on Oct. 20 but was released again on Dec. 2.

This move is likely made as a result of Will Richardson Jr., the primary interior backup, being placed on the injured reserve. Richardson started on Sunday in place of Ben Bartch, who interestingly is not listed among the players returning from the Reserve/COVID-19 list. If he is once again unable to go, it’s very possible that Fluker will be elevated to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s game.

Jaguars place 2 key players on reserve lists

Will Richardson Jr. will be shut down for the remainder of the season, while safety Andrew Wingard could miss Sunday’s game.

Jacksonville has two more difficult matchups before the 2021 season comes to a merciful end, and it will have to navigate those without several players available. On Thursday, the team placed offensive lineman Will Richardson Jr. on the injured reserve list while also placing starting safety Andrew Wingard on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Richardson spent most of the season as one of the team’s primary backups along the offensive line, but he was thrust into the starting lineup in last week’s loss to the New York Jets after Ben Bartch was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. He scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery in that one, but he missed practice on Wednesday with a finger injury and has now been shut down for the remainder of the season.

Wingard, meanwhile, has started every game at safety this season but could potentially be out for Sunday’s game on the road against the New England Patriots. If he is vaccinated and asymptomatic, he can return after submitting two negative tests in a 24-hour period. However, if he is unvaccinated, he will have to wait at least five days to return, per the NFL’s updated protocol that reflects the latest recommendations from the CDC.

If Wingard is unable to go, Daniel Thomas and rookie Andre Cisco will likely start at safety. Cisco got the first start of his career last week, and both saw significant playing time, faring decently well.

One other piece of news the Jaguars announced on Thursday was the placement of practice squad running back B.J. Emmons, who was signed earlier this month, on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.

Saints place starting center Erik McCoy on COVID-19 reserve list

Saints place starting center Erik McCoy on COVID-19 reserve list; 8 players still in protocols

Another day, another New Orleans Saints starter entering the league’s COVID-19 protocols: starting center Erik McCoy was sidelined on Thursday, joining free safety Marcus Williams and several of their teammates on the reserve list ahead of Week 17’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers. He’s likely going to miss that Panthers kickoff on Sunday, though we can’t rule anything out given the NFL’s relaxed stance. If McCoy can’t play, look for either right guard Cesar Ruiz or backup center Will Clapp to fill in for him.

It’s not all bad, though. The Saints brought back two players from the COVID list in defensive ends Carl Granderson and Jalyn Holmes. That adds some much-needed depth to a position group that’s been whittled down by injuries and the coronavirus. The less Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport have to do on their own, the better off they’ll be.

Here’s the updated list of Saints players still on the COVID-19 list (not including left tackle Landon Young and kicker Wil Lutz, who are out for the season on injured reserve):

  1. OL Ryan Ramczyk (Dec. 24)
  2. RB Dwayne Washington (Dec. 24)
  3. WR Deonte Harris (Dec. 26)
  4. DT Malcolm Roach (Dec. 26)
  5. OL Jerald Hawkins (Dec. 26)
  6. CB KeiVarae Russell (Dec. 26)
  7. S Marcus Williams (Dec. 29)
  8. C Erik McCoy (Dec. 30)

11 Saints players clear COVID protocol, but Marcus Williams goes down

The Saints activated nearly a dozen players from COVID-19 reserve including Taysom Hill, Demario Davis, and Kwon Alexander, but they lost Marcus Williams:

We just can’t get only-positive New Orleans Saints news these days. The team activated nearly a dozen players from the COVID-19 reserve list on Wednesday, including their top two quarterbacks in Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, as well as firebrand linebacker Demario Davis.

But they lost Marcus Williams, the veteran free safety who leads all defenders in snaps played this season. Williams has been a major part of New Orleans’ defensive success this season, helping the Saints limit opponents to just 36 pass completions of 20 or more yards — a number that ranks fifth-best in the NFL. For context, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders are tied for worst in the league with 61 such gains.

Let’s hope Williams can clear protocol in time to return for Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers, because they’ll miss him if he can’t play.

In better news: here is the full list of Saints players returning from COVID-19 reserve on Wednesday, with those still remaining in protocol listed after. The Saints did return defensive captain Malcolm Jenkins and tight end Juwan Johnson from the COVID list on Tuesday, so these are more steps in the right direction:

Deonte Harris ends suspension, but remains on the COVID list

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris finished serving his three-game NFL suspension, but remains on the COVID-19 reserve list:

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris finished serving his three-game NFL suspension, but remains on the COVID-19 reserve list after being placed there on Dec. 26. He’ll be eligible to return, if asymptomatic, on Dec. 31. He’s got a good chance at playing in Week 17’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

It would be huge to get Harris back in the lineup (one quick note: Harris legally changed his name to Deonte Harty in respect to his stepfather, which we’ll begin using here on Saints Wire once it’s reflected on the team’s official roster online). He’s averaged the highest receiving yards per game (47.5) of everyone on the team and would be a great shot in the arm for their last two games.

Hopefully he’s able to clear protocol and get back in the lineup. There’s a lot on the line for the Saints these last two weeks, and they’ll need every playmaker they can get to help them go the distance.

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