Getty Kerrith Whyte Jr #40 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Green Bay Packers’ problem with positive COVID-19 cases is only getting worse as their Week 17 rematch with the Minnesota Vikings draws nearer.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst placed starting punter Corey Bojorquez, safety Henry Black, tight end Tyler Davis and defensive lineman Kingsley Keke on the reserve/COVID-19 list on December 29, bringing them to a total of 14 active-roster players who are currently unavailable due to a positive test or close-contact case.
The Packers also added cornerback Jayson Stanley to their practice squad’s COVID-19 reserve on the same day they announced his signing. He was signed to the practice squad on Wednesday along with linebacker Aaron Adeoye, rookie offensive tackle Adrian Ealy and running back Kerrith Whyte Jr. and now joins outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton and defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh as one of their three practice-squad players stuck in the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
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Will Packers Need Backup Plan at Punter?
At first glance, the Packers would seem to have a problem developing on special teams where their punting and kick-holding are concerned. Bojorquez, the man in charge of both responsibilities for the Packers, has now tested positive for COVID-19 and leaves them with no other punters available on the active roster against the Vikings. If he is unvaccinated, he would also have to isolate for a minimum of five days before being eligible to return, seemingly making it impossible for him to return in time.
Fortunately, the details matter when it comes to Bojorquez’s COVID-19 designation. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Bojorquez tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, not Wednesday, and therefore will still have a chance to clear the league’s protocol before Sunday’s evening kickoff against Minnesota even if he isn’t vaccinated — so long as he is able to stay asymptomatic.
Either way, it seems likely the Packers will bring in at least one more punter in the coming days considering there are no backup options on their practice squad. One possible solution could be signing former second-string punter Ryan Winslow from the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad to their active roster. He spent a portion of the 2020 season as the Packers’ emergency plan at the position and was also with them for the entire 2021 offseason before getting released on August 16.
Van Lanen Gets Third Straight Promotion
If there is a bright side to the Packers’ surge in COVID-19 cases over the past week, it is that sixth-round rookie Cole Van Lanen is getting a little more hands-on experience for their depleted offensive line. After calling him up in each of the past two games, the Packers elevated the Green Bay native from the practice squad to the game-day roster for a third consecutive week. They also designated him as a COVID-19 replacement, allowing them to bring him up to the active roster for the full week of practice instead of waiting until the weekend (as is the case with standard elevations).
Van Lanen has still not played a regular-season snap for the Packers, but he could pick up Ben Braden’s reps if the latter is unable to clear COVID-19 protocol before Sunday. Even if it only amounts to a special teams role for the rookie, it would still be valuable developmental experience for a guy who could become a greater piece of the picture in 2022.
The Packers also only have one other backup option — second-year center Jake Hanson — for their offensive line at the moment. Neither David Bakhtiari nor Billy Turner practiced in Wednesday’s first session of the week, while it is still unclear whether second-round rookie center Josh Myers will return from IR this season.