The Green Bay Packers are expecting to get linebacker De’Vondre Campbell back from the COVID-19 reserve list on Friday, or 10 days after he first went on the list.
Coach Matt LaFleur said that Campbell is asymptomatic and “doing well,” and the team is hopeful he will return to the facility on Friday and play Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
“We’re hopeful that we can get him back in this building and we’ll see where he’s at when he can come back in on Friday,” LaFleur said Monday. “He’s doing everything he can at home so he can be at his best, and we’ll make sure we incorporate him throughout our gameplan meetings through Zoom, and he’ll be a big part of it.”
Campbell, the team’s leading tackler with 99, has started all 12 games for the Packers. He is currently the defense’s second-highest graded player overall at Pro Football Focus, trailing only edge rusher Rashan Gary.
LaFleur’s timeline for Campbell’s return suggests the Packers linebacker is unvaccinated. League rules require unvaccinated players to miss 10 days if they test positive for COVID-19. He was originally placed on the reserve list last Tuesday, but the Packers had a bye so Campbell didn’t miss a game.
If Campbell is unvaccinated, he’ll need to go through an evaluation and be cleared upon returning to the facility on Friday.
Campbell has been a revelation for the Packers this season. He’s both stabilized the inside linebacker position for Joe Barry’s defense while providing value and game-changing plays against the run and pass. In the Packers’ first meeting with the Bears, Campbell produced six tackles over 61 defensive snaps.
The Packers returned outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin from the COVID-19 reserve list on Saturday. Quarterback Jordan Love was placed on the list to start the week on Monday.
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