Packers Place WR Malik Taylor on COVID-19 List
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers placed receiver Malik Taylor on the COVID-19 list on Friday, meaning he will not play on Sunday against the Bears.
Per league rules, teams are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status. Being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list means Taylor tested positive for COVID-19 or has been in close contact with an infected person.
Taylor wasn’t on the practice field on Friday.
Taylor has played 24 snaps on offense, with two catches for 14 yards in Week 1 against New Orleans. He’s been one of the team’s top players on special teams. Against Pittsburgh, he forced a fair catch on Corey Bojorquez’s 57-yard punt and downed another punt at the 4.
If they choose, the Packers will be able to add a player to their roster for Sunday’s game at Chicago. Juwann Winfree and Chris Blair are the options at receiver. Winfree played in three games for Denver as a sixth-round pick in 2019 and two games for Green Bay last year but hasn’t recorded any stats. Blair missed most of his rookie training camp with an ankle injury.
Another possibility is cornerback Quinton Dunbar, who the Packers signed to their practice squad on Tuesday in response to injuries to starters Jaire Alexander and Kevin King. The Packers ruled out King on Friday.
In his seventh NFL season, the 29-year-old Dunbar has 10 career interceptions. Four of those came with Washington in 2019, when he started a career-high 11 games. He’s started 31 games in his career. After starting six games with Seattle last season, he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. He hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Nov. 8 at Buffalo.
Taylor is the second player placed on the COVID-19 list during the regular season. Defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster missed the Week 4 game vs. Pittsburgh.
