The Los Angeles Rams went through their first round of COVID-19 testing on Monday and Tuesday this week, with rookies and veterans arriving ahead of camp. It was the first step in the process before training camp can officially begin, and so far, things are going well.
According to the NFL transaction wire, no Rams have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, which the league introduced this year amid the pandemic. They’re one of only eight teams so far with no players on the list, which is a good sign – especially after Andrew Whitworth and Brian Allen both tested positive for the virus earlier this offseason.
A player is required to immediately be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list if he either tests positive for the virus or has been in close contact with someone who has it. Because Whitworth and Allen tested positive in the past and have not been placed on the list, it’s assumed that their tests were negative earlier this week.
If a player is placed on the list but is asymptomatic, he can return 10 days after the initial positive test, or at least five days have passed and the player tests negative twice within a five-day span.
As of now, the Rams are one of only eight teams with no players on the COVID-19 list. The Cardinals and Seahawks are also among those teams.
The #Patriots remain one of eight teams yet to place a player on the COVID-19 injured reserve. The others: Texans, Chargers, Rams, Saints, Panthers, Cardinals, and Seahawks.
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) July 30, 2020
Additionally, the Rams haven’t had any players opt out of the season yet, which has been a somewhat common occurrence around the league. Several players have decided to sit out the 2020 campaign due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.
Players have until at least Aug. 4 to opt out, though the NFL and NFLPA are still working to set a deadline, which could be moved back.