reserve – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Chiefs DT Chris Jones set to practice on Friday

Good news for the Kansas City Chiefs and DT Chris Jones.

The Kansas City Chiefs will have their star defensive tackle back at practice on Friday.

Chris Jones was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, putting his status in question for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, Jones will be back in the team facilities and allowed to practice on Friday. This suggests that Jones will be removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list and cleared to play on Sunday against Carolina.

The report from Rapoport was later confirmed by KC Star beat reporter Herbie Teope.

#Chiefs standout DT Chris Jones, out recently because of a close contact with a staffer who was COVID-19 positive, is back in the building and set to practice today, source said. That’s a sign he’s been cleared.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 6, 2020

How could such a quick turnaround from the reserve/COVID-19 list be possible for Jones? Depending on when his contact occurred and whether he was deemed a high-risk or low-risk close contact by the NFL all play a role in this determination.

At the end of the day, so long as Jones has been cleared to return, there should be no problems in terms of his game status in Week 9. It’s big news for the Chiefs defense, who will look to slow down Panthers star RB Christian McCaffrey on Sunday. Jones has the most run stops among defensive linemen in Kansas City with 14 according to Pro Football Focus.

[listicle id=80022]

Detroit Lions place Jarrad Davis on reserve/COVID-19 list

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Detroit Lions have placed linebacker Jarrad Davis on Reserve/COVID-19 list.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reported, and the Detroit Lions have confirmed, that they have placed linebacker Jarrad Davis on reserve/COVID-19 list.

This is the first time a Lions player has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 since the initial testing in the early portions of training camp in early August.

The Lions released the following statement with their confirmation:

This reserve list category was created for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. If a player falls into either of these categories, their club is required to immediately place the player on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Per agreed upon NFL-NFLPA policy, clubs are not permitted t comment on a player’s medical status other than referring to roster status. Clubs may not disclose whether player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.

With no details surrounding Davis’ situation, it’s unknown how long he will be required to away from the facility.

Saints activate RB Dwayne Washington after 18 days on COVID-19 reserve

The New Orleans Saints welcomed running back Dwayne Washington back to practice after an 18-day absence on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list.

[jwplayer Fd0F2v54-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints activated running back Dwayne Washington from the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list on Thursday, 18 days after he was first sidelined per league protocol. He was the fourth Saints player to land on the list since training camp opened in late July, but each of his teammates returned to work after a day or two, writing the experience off as false positive test results.

That wasn’t the case for Washington, who missed the rest of camp and the first regular season game. Teams keep test results confidential so there’s no way of knowing for sure, but the lengthy absence for Washington would suggest he contracted the coronavirus. And thankfully, it appears he’s made a full recovery.

Washington returned to practice with the Saints on Thursday, and he could very well suit up for Monday’s kickoff with the Las Vegas Raiders. He was a core special teamer last season — only cornerback Justin Hardee and linebacker Craig Robertson played more snaps in the game’s third phase — but it remains to be seen how large of a role he’ll see on offense. Washington saw just 18 snaps there in 2019, buried beneath Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray on the depth chart.

Now he has to contend with training camp breakout Ty Montgomery, who got in on four snaps with the Saints offense in their 2020 season opener. Montgomery also placed third in New Orleans for special teams snaps played (behind Hardee and Robertson) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so maybe he and Washington can coexist.

And the Saints will not have to waive a player to make room for Washington on their 53-man roster. They never replaced rookie punter Blake Gillikin after he landed on injured reserve last week, so a spot was kept open for Washington once he was cleared to return. But the Saints do have an open vacancy on their 16-strong practice squad after linebacker Anthony Chickillo left for an opportunity on the Denver Broncos active roster, so some movement should be expected.

[vertical-gallery id=37970]

Saints designate Dwayne Washington to the NFL’s COVID-19 list

The New Orleans Saints added Dwayne Washington, a backing running back and special teams ace, to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday.

[jwplayer YelruEBS-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints added running back Dwayne Washington to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Aug. 30, making him their fourth player to be sidelined due to the public health crisis. However, it’s unclear whether Washington received a positive test result or was exposed to someone who had; those sort of details are not made public knowledge.

Each of Washington’s three teammates to previously go through the reserve/COVID-19 protocol were cleared within a few days: linebacker Kaden Elliss, long snapper Zach Wood, and wide receiver Deonte Harris all retested negative after a brief time away from the team. Hopefully this is nothing serious for Washington’s personal health.

He’s been competing with Ty Montgomery and undrafted free agent Tony Jones Jr. for a backup job behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray. Washington probably had an inside edge on that roster battle after standing out on special teams (where he played 295 snaps in 2019, third-most on the team), but Montgomery’s almost-daily highlight moments in training camp practice could make a compelling argument.

So stay tuned for updates on Washington’s situation, as well as news about Saints owner Gayle Benson. Benson was diagnosed with COVID-19 and has been receiving medical attention while working from home. The coronavirus has hit the Saints close to home already, and everyone must remain vigilant as we continue to navigate this pandemic.

[vertical-gallery id=37385]

Falcons place DE Steven Means on reserve/COVID-19 list

The team announced defensive end Steven Means has been placed on the reserve and quarantined.

The Atlanta Falcons started training camp with several players on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Since then, nobody else had been added until Saturday morning when the team announced defensive end Steven Means was placed on the reserve and quarantined.

We have placed DL Steven Means on the reserve/COVID-19 list. https://t.co/AHIc4BcOJO

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 29, 2020

Means. 29, should provide good depth and leadership at defensive end after missing 2019 with an Achilles injury. There is no official word on whether Means has COVID-19, as is league policy not to comment.

[lawrence-related id=57182,57071,57177,57168]

[vertical-gallery id=57162]

Deonte Harris says he’s cleared from NFL’s COVID-19 protocol

All-Pro New Orleans Saints punt returner Deonte Harris announced on Twitter that he has been cleared from the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

[jwplayer 24FxnrUr-ThvAeFxT]

Here’s some good news: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris announced on Twitter that he is no longer designated to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list, meaning that he has twice tested negative for an infection per league protocol.

The second-year pro out of Assumption College will rejoin his team and look to repeat his breakout performance as a rookie in 2019, which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl and recognition on the AP All-Pro roster.

Because the NFL maintains confidentiality for players and coaches during COVID-19 testing, it’s unclear why Harris was placed on the list to begin with. He may have registered a false positive test or been in contact with someone who was infection, but it’s all speculation. What’s clear at this point is that he is healthy and ready to return to work.

I’m not on the Covid list, I’m fine… thank you🖤

~management

— Deonte Harris (@tayynation1) August 16, 2020

Hopefully the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol will hold up during the regular season, which is set to begin in a matter of weeks. A recent breakthrough in testing is promising, but it remains to be seen when or how the NFL will implement it. For now, many Saints players and team employees are sequestered at a New Orleans hotel throughout training camp in an attempt at limiting their contact with others, lowering the risk of infection.

[vertical-gallery id=37021]

Long snapper Zach Wood cleared from NFL’s COVID-19 protocol

New Orleans Saints long snapper Zach Wood again tested negative for COVID-19, clearing him from the NFL’s new protocol.

[jwplayer 2CPn5E98-ThvAeFxT]

Here’s some expected good news: New Orleans Saints long snapper Zach Wood retested negative for COVID-19 again, his second such result after being designated to the new reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week. News of Wood’s successful retest was first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football and confirmed by Katherine Terrell of The Athletic.

This means that Wood is in the clear to rejoin the Saints at their Metairie practice facility, once he’s formally activated in a filing with the league office. Because the NFL’s new COVID-19 rules and regulations limit teams to strength and conditioning exercises at this stage of training camp, the Saints likely weren’t disrupted much by having their only long snapper out of the lineup for a few days.

Still, they’ll be happy to get Wood back in the fold. He’s a cornerstone of the special teams unit, sign through 2023 along with kicker Wil Lutz; punter Thomas Morstead’s contract runs through 2022. That sort of stability has to be appreciated.

The Saints have come a long way from their tumultuous 2017 training camp, when they auditioned three different long snappers (Justin Drescher, Thomas Gafford, and Chase Dominguez) and traded for a fourth in longtime Philadelphia Eagles specialist Jon Dorenbos — whose entry physical revealed a life-threatening heart condition. Wood flew into town for a last-minute tryout two days before the season opener, won the job, and has quietly held it down ever since. Here’s hoping for more nonchalant success (and good health) for him.

[vertical-gallery id=36627]

Saints long snapper Zach Wood retests negative, still in COVID-19 protocol

New Orleans Saints long snapper Zach Wood passed his first retest after being designated to the reserve/COVID-19 list, but must do so again.

[jwplayer mVv4mgFy-ThvAeFxT]

One of the two New Orleans Saints players designated to the reserve/COVID-19 is already on his way off of it, having twice retested negative for a coronavirus infection: second-year linebacker Kaden Elliss. That leaves veteran long snapper Zach Wood as the only member of the Saints on the reserve list as he awaits the results of his second retest.

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football first reported that Wood’s initial retest came back negative, and added that Wood will receive the results from his second retest on Saturday. If that is also negative, he will be allowed to rejoin the team.

Wood signed a four-year contract extension with the Saints earlier this summer that makes New Orleans’ special teams situation one of the most stable in the league; with punter Thomas Morstead inked through 2022 and kicker Wil Lutz signed through 2023, all three specialists are under contract for the long haul.

In a normal year, Wood’s early-training camp absence would have been something of an emergency. But the Saints are limited to running strength and conditioning drills at this stage in the rump-up period, per the NFL’s new COVID-19 rules, so the loss of a long snapper won’t destabilize things just yet.

[vertical-gallery id=36627]

Saints to activate linebacker Kaden Elliss from reserve/COVID-19

New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss is set to be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list after twice testing negative for infection.

[jwplayer mVv4mgFy-ThvAeFxT]

It turned out to be a short stay on reserve/COVID-19 for New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss, who was designated to the reserve list Thursday. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported that the Saints will remove Elliss from the list after twice testing negative for COVID-19, which was confirmed by Amie Just of The Times-Picayune/Advocate. It suggests that the initial test result to put Elliss in the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol may have been a false-positive, but the real takeaway is that Elliss was fortunate to escape a serious infection.

That’s great news for the second-year pro out of Idaho, who was picked by the Saints late in the 2019 NFL Draft. Elliss initially showed out on special teams in training camp last summer before working his way into the linebacker rotation, splitting time with Kiko Alonso as the team’s third linebacker in base sets (starters Demario Davis and A.J. Klein rarely left the field). An unfortunate knee injury in Week 3’s road win over the Seattle Seahawks ended his rookie season, but he’s back now and looking to carve out a larger role for himself.

And his help couldn’t arrive at a better time. Including Elliss, the Saints have just four linebackers under contract past the 2020 season; former practice squad call-up Andrew Dowell and rookies Zack Baun and Joe Bachie round out the group. If any of them can impress enough to earn starter’s reps this year, they could become a big asset to the team in years to come.

[lawrence-related id=29723,36748,35488]

[vertical-gallery id=36627]