Getty Marcedes Lewis #89 of the Green Bay Packers runs with the ball after the catch against Broderick Washington #96 of the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Green Bay Packers now have 10 players from their 53-man roster stuck in the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol and at risk of missing Week 17’s home game against the Minnesota Vikings for Sunday Night Football.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst placed veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis and special teams ace Oren Burks on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, December 28. They join a growing list of occupants that already includes cornerbacks Kevin King and Shemar Jean-Charles, guard Ben Braden, outside linebackers Tipa Galeai, Chauncey Rivers and Ty Summers and wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Amari Rodgers.
The Packers also have defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh and outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton on the practice squad’s COVID-19 reserve list, leaving them with a total of 12 players working through the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
Fortunately, the Packers are not wasting any time trying to supplement their roster and hosted another four players for workouts on Tuesday, including former practice-squad linebacker Aaron Adeoye. The other three tryout players were rookie offensive tackle Adrian Ealy, tight end Nick Guggemos and defensive back Jayson Stanley — who is a former teammate of Packers rookie cornerback Eric Stokes.
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NFL Modifies COVID-19 Return Protocols
The good news for the Packers is, as of Tuesday afternoon, there is a chance for them to get back all 12 of the players on their COVID-19 reserve lists before Sunday’s game regardless of their vaccination statuses. Previously, unvaccinated players who tested positive were required to spend a minimum of 10 days in isolation before becoming eligible to return, but the league updated their protocols on Tuesday to better reflect the guidelines of the CDC and reduced the number of days they are required to miss from 10 to five.
Here’s what the NFL wrote about players testing out in the memo shared on December 28, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Fully vaccinated individuals may continue to “test out” of isolation sooner than five (5) days after the positive test as communicated in the December 16 memorandum (i.e. by returning two negative tests pursuant to one of the three (3) options outlined). Non-fully vaccinated players will not be eligible to “test out” sooner than five (5) days. Given the updated CDC guidance, fully vaccinated individuals should stop testing at Day 5 (as calculated above) and return under this updated guidance, assuming all other prerequisites have been satisfied.
Daly Seeking Second Chance After Suspension
One name that stands out on the Packers’ most recent list of workout players is Ealy. He was a second-team All-Big 12 selection two years in a row while serving as Oklahoma’s starting right tackle in 2019 and 2020. Lance Zierlein, an NFL.com draft analyst, also flagged him as a “priority free agent” for teams ahead of the 2021 NFL draft.
Despite signing as a UDFA with the Baltimore Ravens, though, Ealy was unable to earn a spot on the active roster during training camp. He ended up on the practice squad with a chance to work his way up, but it only lasted until mid-October when the NFL handed him a six-game suspension without pay for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The Ravens released him on November 23 after his suspension had been served, but they eventually brought him back for a short second stint in December after he spent time on the practice squad of the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams.
For what it’s worth, Ealy held up nicely during his reps in the preseason. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 38 snaps at right tackle and only allowed one pressure while also committing no penalties, finishing with a high grade of 90 overall and 91.7 as a run blocker for the Ravens in exhibition action.