Tag: reserve/COVID-19 list

Washington getting hit hard at the worst possible time

Washington getting slammed at the worst possible time. Can the WFT survive and make the playoffs?

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When it rains it pours.

At least that is how this week has begun for the Washington Football Team.

Sunday, Washington experienced a hugely disappointing first half, falling behind Dallas 24-0, to eventually lose 27-20.

Not only was there a loss, but there were also injuries to Taylor Heinicke, Terry McLaurin, Tyler Larsen to name a few.

Each subsequent day, Washington has had players testing positive for COVID, now totaling 17 players. If Jonathan Allen and Kendall Fuller was not enough, Wednesday brought news that Kyle Allen and Matt Ioannidis were the latest to test positive.

All of this as Washington is attempting to earn an NFC playoff birth, currently holding the number seven seed, entering the Week 15 games.

It seems a mountain of obstacles now for Washington to make the playoffs. BTW, Washington is seeking to make the playoffs for the fourth time in the last decade, having earned a playoff birth in 2012, 2015 and 2020.

If Washington were to somehow overcome all of these huge obstacles, and qualify for the 2021 playoffs, it would mark consecutive seasons the WFT played into the postseason, losing in 2020 in the first round at home to Tampa Bay 31-23.

Even more significantly, Washington has not been to the NFL playoffs in consecutive seasons, since they were actually in the playoffs three successive seasons in 1990, ’91 and ’92.

In 1990 Washington was a wild card, winning at Philadelphia 20-6, before losing in the second round at San Francisco 28-10.

In 1991, Washington went 14-2, won the NFC East, triumphing in two home playoff games at RFK Stadium over Atlanta 24-7 and Detroit 41-10, eventually winning Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis over the Buffalo Bills 37-24.

The 1992 team was again a Wild card participant in the playoffs, defeating the Vikings in Minnesota 24-7, before losing the following weekend to the 49ers in San Francisco 20-13.

Consequently, it has been 29 years since Washington executed its way into the playoffs in consecutive seasons.

With everything that has gone wrong for Washington this week, it is a reminder, a stark reminder, that no mere human knows the future.

Even more, it’s wisely been said, “the providence of God is like a Hebrew word–it can only be read backward.”

5 WFT defensive players on COVID list 48 hours after loss to Cowboys

Jonathan Allen, Tim Settle, and William Bradley-King are among the latest adds to the COVID watchlist; all played against Dallas on Sunday. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Less than 48 hours after their hard-fought loss to Dallas, the Washington Football Team has added several names to their Reserve/COVID list, including five defensive players who logged snaps against the Cowboys on Sunday.

WFT’s roster moves represented just a portion of a new virus mini-outbreak across the NFL, one that has prompted seven teams- as of Tuesday afternoon- to go virtual once again and resurrected fears that games could start to be moved or even forfeited if the rise in cases continues.

The Cowboys have not announced any new COVID cases since wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was placed on the club’s watchlist (and cornerback Nahshon Wright was removed from it) Monday. But after Washington’s announcement, the three-plus hours of close contact at FedEx Field over the weekend will no doubt have Dallas watching their personnel closely as they prepare to travel to New York to face the Giants.

Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney entered the protocol Monday.

In Washington, cornerback Kendall Fuller and defensive tackle Tim Settle were placed on the list Tuesday, joining Monday’s adds: defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, linebacker David Mayo, and defensive end William Bradley-King.

All were active during Sunday’s Week 14 meeting with Dallas. Allen registered seven tackles, a sack, and two quarterback hits. Fuller logged six tackles, Settle notched three, Mayo had one, and Bradley-King was involved in the scuffle with Cowboys lineman La’el Collins after making a sideline hit on Dak Prescott.

WFT now has ten players on COVID lists, all but one coming from their already-depleted defense. One Washington staffer has reportedly tested positive for the Omicron variant. The team has now entered the league’s enhanced mitigation protocol entering their Week 15 divisional game versus Philadelphia.

While the Cowboys reported no new virus activity on Tuesday, there are growing concerns that the COVID numbers will continue to rise, adding to the 60-plus new names from just the past two days.

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COVID-19 outbreak could have Browns without as many as 4 starters vs Raiders

COVID-19 outbreak could have Browns without as many as four starters vs Raiders

Some key Browns players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, just four days away from their matchup with the Raiders. The Browns also must conduct all meetings virtually.

In total there were eight players who tested positive for COVID, putting their status in doubt for Saturday’s game in Cleveland.

Four of those players are full time starters — G Wyatt Teller, WR Jarvis Landry, TE Austin Hooper, and T Jedrick Wills.

Teller is the team’s starting right guard. Landry is a five-time Pro Bowler and leads the team in receptions (38). Hooper is a two-time Pro Bowler who is second on the team in receptions (33). And Wills was the 10th overall pick in the 2020 draft and is the team’s starting left tackle.

All players will continue to be tested leading up to the game. They would need to test negative twice separated by 24 hours in order to be able to play.

The team’s leaders in receiving yards at wide receiver and tight end respectively are Donovan Peoples-Jones (430) and David Njoku (407). So, Baker Mayfield won’t be without weapons in the passing game. The Browns, of course, still have a strong ground attack led by Nick Chubb along with Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson.

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Washington DT Jonathan Allen, three others placed on COVID-19 list

Jonathan Allen was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday. Brutal timing for Washington.

The Washington Football Team was without several players in a Week 14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys due to COVID-19. Montez Sweat, Casey Toohill, James Smith-Williams, Khaleke Hudson and Darryl Roberts all missed Sunday’s game after Washington placed them on the reserve/COVID-19 list last week.

Washington received more bad news Monday when four more players were added to the list, including the team’s top player, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

It’s unknown if Allen will miss Washington’s Week 15 game at Philadelphia.

Also added to the list were David Mayo and practice-squad players Temarrick Hemingway and William Bradley-King. Bradley-King was active Sunday, receiving his first NFL action due to the lack of depth at defensive end.

Now, Washington currently has nine players on the COVID list.

This could not come at a worse time for Washington. At 6-7,  the WFT still holds on to the final NFC playoff spot. Several teams also have 6-7 records, but Washington currently holds the tie-breakers.

Washington has now been placed in “enhanced” protocols, which means all players and staff members must undergo daily tests, wear masks at the indoor facilities, and meet virtually regardless of their vaccination status.

There’s no word on when Sweat and the others who were placed on the COVID list last week will be activated.

 

 

Lions make several roster moves to try and field a full team vs. Broncos

The Lions elevated many from the practice squad to help stock the active roster decimated by COVID-19 and other illnesses

Faced with a virulent outbreak of illness across the roster that includes six players being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Detroit Lions made several roster moves on Saturday. The team elevated seven players from the practice squad to try and field a full football team for Sunday’s matchup with the Denver Broncos.

Six of the players elevated are designated with the COVID-19 replacement status. They are:

CB Corey Ballentine

LB Curtis Bolton

DE Bruce Hector

RB Craig Reynolds

CB Nickell Robey-Coleman

TE Shane Zylstra

Detroit also elevated CB Parnell Motley from the practice squad. In addition, the team signed RB Rodney Smith from the practice squad to the active roster and also released OT Darrin Paulo from the practice squad.

 

 

Lions place CBs Mark Gilbert and Ifeatu Melifonwu on reserve/COVID-19 list

The Lions now have 5 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list in addition to 12 players questionable with illness for Sunday’s game in Denver

The Detroit Lions are rapidly running out of healthy bodies for Sunday’s matchup with the Broncos in Denver. The team announced it has placed two more players on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday.

Cornerbacks Mark Gilbert and Ifeatu Melifonwu join the growing crowd on the COVID list. Their appearance on the list comes less than 24 hours after the Lions placed RB Jamaal Williams and S Tracy Walker on the reserve list. Starting center Evan Brown was placed on the list earlier in the week.

All five will miss the Week 14 game against the Broncos.

The Lions have 12 more players who are questionable after suffering illness during the week. That does not count three players — LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, OLB Julian Okwara and RB D’Andre Swift — who are out with injuries. Starting TE T.J. Hockenson is doubtful with a hand injury as well.

The Lions will have the ability to elevate players from the practice squad to fill in the roster spots for the quintet on the COVID-19 list.

Lions place starting C Evan Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list

Brown has played well since taking over for injured Pro Bowl C Frank Ragnow

The Detroit Lions are at least temporarily shorthanded on the offensive line once again. On Monday, the Lions placed starting center Evan Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Per the NFL’s transaction wire, Brown was one of 11 players league-wide who tested positive for COVID-19. His vaccination status is unknown, but we will learn quickly based on how he progresses on the reserve list.

If Brown is vaccinated, he can return as soon as he produces two negative tests in 24 hours. However, if he is unvaccinated, Brown must be away from the facility for a minimum of 10 days. That would rule him out for at least the Week 14 trip to Denver to face the Broncos.

Brown has played well since taking over for injured Pro Bowl C Frank Ragnow. Rookie Ryan McCollum would take over for Brown if he cannot play.

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Chargers WR Keenan Allen placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

The Chargers could potentially be without their star wide receiver against the Giants.

The Chargers announced Monday that wide receiver Keenan Allen has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive.

It remains to be seen if Allen is vaccinated or not.

If he is vaccinated, Allen will need to be asymptomatic, and he can return once he gets two negative tests 24 hours apart.

If he is unvaccinated, Allen will be forced to stay away from the team for a minimum of 10 days, which would include this weekend’s game against the Giants.

This season, Allen has 86 receptions for 929 yards and four touchdowns.

Steelers LB Robert Spillane joins T.J. Watt on Reserve/COVID list

Steelers add third player to Reserve/COVID-19 list in as many days.

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced today that they have placed linebacker Robert Spillane on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Spillane now makes the third Steelers player in as many days to wind up on the list — T.J. Watt was placed on Reserve/COVID-19 on Monday, followed by offensive tackle Joe Haeg yesterday.

Since Ben Roethlisberger and Minkah Fitzpatrick both sat out a game last month after testing positive early in the week, it’s more than likely that Pittsburgh will be without Watt and Haeg and most certainly Spillane on Sunday versus the Ravens.

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Raiders sign free agent LS Carson Tinker with Trent Sieg on reserve/COVID-19 list

Raiders sign free agent LS Carson Tinker with Trent Sieg on reserve/COVID-19 list

Suddenly, among all the other roster shuffling that must happen for various reasons, the Raiders also needed to sign a long snapper this week. That’s because usual long snapper Trent Sieg was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, making his status uncertain for the team’s game against Washington on Sunday.

The new long snapper is former Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker turned long snapper Carson Tinker.

“We had a couple options, a couple different guys, and he played recently, played in over 70 games,” Raiders Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said of Tinker. “He’s got a lot of experience and I think he played as recently as three weeks ago, so we’re fortunate we can get him in here. He passed all the protocol and he had a good day today and he’ll be a little bit better tomorrow. So, we’re glad to have him right now.”

Tinker was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just a couple weeks ago. Prior to that he spent six years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has appeared in 77 career games.

And as it happened, the last game Tinker played with the Bucs came against this same Washington team back on November 14.