The Indianapolis Colts placed defensive end Denico Autry on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of the Week 11 game against the Green Bay Packers, and it is unclear if he will be available for the upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans.
Though Autry tested positive for COVID-19, the Colts aren’t making it known whether he was asymptomatic. It matters in terms of his potential availability for the Week 12 game against the Titans.
The league’s protocol states that an asymptomatic player must stay on the reserve list for at least 10 days. A symptomatic player must remain on the list for at least 14 days. Reich wouldn’t say which category Autry falls into.
“What I can tell you about (Denico) Autry is – as you guys know – the league rule is if you’re asymptomatic, it’s 10 days from the test date. If you have symptoms then it is 14 days. So according to the letter of the law, the 10-day window would have him ready but whether or not he has symptoms is not something we need to or want to discuss,” Reich said to reporters Monday. “So if it’s the 10-day window, he is technically available. If it’s the 14-day window, he is not available.”
Autry has been an important piece to the Colts’ front. He currently leads the team in sacks with 6.0 even after missing Sunday’s game against the Packers.
While the Colts would certainly miss Autry’s presence and versatility on the line, they did just see the return of Kemoko Turay, which is a huge addition to the pass rush.
As the week progresses, this situation will be monitored but we may not find out about Autry’s status until the Colts release their injury designations on Friday before the game.
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