Barnes, Love Placed on COVID-Reserve List

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers linebacker Krys Barnes has tested positive for COVID-19, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday.

Quarterback Jordan Love was deemed a “high-risk” close contact and has joined Barnes on the COVID-reserve list. The rookies were high school teammates in Bakersfield, Calif., and roomates in Green Bay.

“I was definitely a little surprised by it. But I shouldn’t be,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours after his team drubbed the San Francisco 49ers 34-17. “I don’t think any of us should be surprised by anything in this year. It’s been a crazy year for everybody, a lot of adversity and unforeseen circumstances that you have to navigate through. I’m really confident with our protocols. We are in a pandemic. I think our guys have been pretty diligent in their approach with it and done everything in their power. But it is what it is. This thing’s pretty tough to control.”

Much like last week with running back AJ Dillon, Barnes tested positive during pregame testing. Because of the lag between testing and results, Barnes played in Thursday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

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In the case of Dillon, he did his daily COVID test on Sunday and played against the Vikings. The team learned of the positive test on Monday morning. Contact tracing determined running back Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin were deemed “high-risk” close contacts and joined Dillon the COVID-19 list on Tuesday.

Having dispatched the 49ers, the Packers will get a bonus three-day weekend. The timing is perfect in helping the league get a handle on the situation and determine whether the outbreak is limited to the two positive tests.

The elephant in the corner, it practically goes without saying, is Love’s close proximity to Aaron Rodgers in the quarterbacks room. However, Love has only been deemed a close contact and has not tested positive.

“We just can’t afford to lose a room. You saw basically with San Francisco what they went through with that receiver room,” LaFleur said in part of the accompanying video.

After kicker Mason Crosby and tight end Jace Sternberger tested positive upon arriving for training camp, the Packers had zero positive tests until Dillon and now Barnes.

Due to injuries and his own solid play, Barnes has emerged as the main man at inside linebacker. He leads the position group with 240 snaps (49.7 percent) and the team with 48 tackles.

Barnes played 23 snaps against the 49ers before dropping out with a calf injury. He had three tackles. With Martin on the COVID-reserve list and Christian Kirksey not activated from injured reserve, Oren Burks and Ty Summers (34 snaps each) played the most snaps on Thursday.

Assuming they’ve tested negative all week, Williams and Martin can be taken off the COVID-reserve list on Saturday.room, it practically goes without saying, is Love's close proximity to Aaron Rodgers in the quarterbacks room. However, Love has only been deemed a close contact and has not tested positive.

After kicker Mason Crosby and tight end Jace Sternberger tested positive upon arriving for training camp, the Packers had zero positive tests until Dillon and now Barnes.

Due to injuries and his own solid play, Barnes has emerged as the main man at inside linebacker. He leads the position group with 240 snaps (49.7 percent) and the team with 48 tackles.

Assuming they’ve tested negative all week, Williams and Martin can be taken off the COVID-reserve list on Saturday.

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