Jaguars Place 4 Rookies on New Reserve/COVID-19 List
With NFL training camps set to technically begin throughout the league on Tuesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars placed four rookies on the league's new reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced on Monday.
The Jaguars announced they placed undrafted rookie cornerback Luq Barcoo, rookie draft pick defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, rookie draft pick cornerback Josiah Scott and undrafted rookie offensive lineman Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms on the team’s Reserve/COVID-19 list.
In addition, the Jaguars also placed undrafted rookie fullback Connor Slomka on the team’s Active/Non-Football Injury list
While a player is on the reserve/COVID-19 list, it doesn't necessarily mean a player has tested positive for COVID-19. Jaguars rookies reported for their initial COVID-19 testing last Tuesday.
"The Reserve/COVID-19 list is a new reserve category created by the NFL 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," the Jaguars said in a statement. "Clubs are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status other than referring to roster status. Clubs may not disclose whether the player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.
"Clubs, club personnel, other players and player-agents are not permitted to disclose a player’s reason for placement on Reserve/COVID-19 or a player’s status with regard to such illness."
Scott and Hamilton are two of Jacksonville's 12 draft picks from this April's NFL Draft. Jacksonville drafted Scott out of Michigan State with the No. 137 overall pick in the fourth-round and drafted Hamilton out of Ohio State with the No. 73 overall pick in the third round. Barcoo is one of the team's highest-profile undrafted free agents after the Jaguars signed him to a record-breaking 160k guaranteed contract.
"Minimum period on Reserve/COVID-19 is commensurate with the applicable mandatory testing and/or quarantine time required by the NFL/NFLPA Testing and/or Treatment Protocols to clear that player," the Jaguars said Monday.
The rest of Jacksonville's veteran roster, sans quarterbacks, is set to report for initial COVID-19 testing on Tuesday. The NFLPA announced on Monday the Jaguars were one of 20 teams to have their Infectious Disease Emergency Response plans approved ahead of training camp.
The IDER's are contingency plans each franchise has for infectious diseases, but all have required updating to include a COVID-19 response. They can differ from franchise to franchise depending on state and local guidelines and mandates.
Update: Scott posted some clarification for his status on Twitter after it was announced he had been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
"My first test for Covid came back positive but then was re-tested multiple times the following days after that and those results have all been negative. My first test was a false positive guys so we’re all good," Scott tweeted. "Just had to do the protocol."
