Packers Latest Team Stung by COVID

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers the latest NFL team to be hit by a COVID-19 onslaught, coach Matt LaFleur is considering making this a week of virtual preparation to limit the interaction between players and staff.

On Monday, the Packers placed offensive lineman Ben Braden, outside linebacker Tipa Galeai, receiver Amari Rodgers, inside linebacker Ty Summers and practice-squad defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh on their COVID-19 lists. They join receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who spent last week on the COVID list, as well as cornerbacks Kevin King and Shemar Jean-Charles and practice-squad outside linebacker La'Darius Hamilton on the COVID sideline. King, Jean-Charles and Hamilton were added just before Saturday’s game against Cleveland.

None of the new cases are starters, though injuries made Braden the No. 3 offensive tackle and forced him into the lineup at left tackle for one series on Saturday, Galeai has played 110 snaps at outside linebacker the past five games, and Rodgers is the primary returner.

While previous versions of COVID hit mainly unvaccinated people, the Omicron variant is infecting people regardless of vaccination status. To that end, the Packers are taking as many precautions as possible but are being hit, anyway, just like their last two opponents, the Browns and Ravens.

The fear is these recent positive tests will be the tip of the iceberg headed into a hugely important game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Jacksonville Jaguars, for instance, placed 10 players on their COVID list on Monday. There are teams with 20 players on their COVID lists. League-wide, a record-high 96 players tested positive on Monday.

“Certainly, you’re trying to take every step to mitigate the risks within, especially within your building,” LaFleur said on Monday. “We’re definitely going to look at how we can do that around here, just making sure we mask up as a team when we’re inside and then try to keep people as spread out as possible – maybe even contemplating, if we get more of these, maybe going to virtual meetings and then just showing up when we want to get together to go out on the field. So, we’ll look at everything because we do know this: The availability thing is real. When you have your players available, I think we’re a pretty darn good football team and we need to try to keep as many people available as possible.”

In what could be an incredibly important development for a league getting hammered by positive tests with the playoffs approaching, the CDC on Monday announced it is shortening the isolation period from 10 days to five. None of the Packers players who have tested positive returned before 10 days.

BREAKING: U.S. health officials are cutting isolation restrictions for those who test positive for the coronavirus and shortening the time that close contacts have to quarantine. People with the virus can leave isolation after five days, down from 10 days. https://t.co/cciaX1DdWT
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 27, 2021

In response to the positive tests, LaFleur conducted virtual meetings on Monday. The team will conduct some workouts to have players on a ready list to bolster any positions that have been stretched thin. Outside linebacker could be one of those positions. With Galeai and Hamilton out, the Packers are down to starters Preston Smith and Rashan Gary and backup Jonathan Garvin. Inside linebacker Oren Burks has played on outside in a pinch.

The Packers lead the NFC with a 12-3 record but have no margin for error in the NFC playoff race. The Dallas Cowboys are one game off the pace at 11-4. If the Packers stumble against Minnesota at home on Sunday night or at Detroit in the regular-season finale and the Cowboys win out, Dallas would earn the No. 1 seed based on better conference record.

That leaves LaFleur sitting on pins and needles every time he gets a text from head trainer Bryan Engel.

“I think we all get frustrated at times, but I’m not one to slam a whole bunch of things,” LaFleur said. “I’m not pounding on my desk or anything like that. It’s just one of those things. It’s no different than how you look at injuries. Yeah, they’re unfortunate. Yeah, it can be frustrating. But it is what it is. You’ve got to try to find a way to move on and navigate around it, (and) really put your time, energy and effort into the things that you can control.”

I spent yesterday celebrating Christmas, so our weekly #Packers report card is a day late. Here are the unit-by-unit grades and some interesting stats from Saturday.https://t.co/oKrcZhuT4e
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) December 27, 2021

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