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The Chicago Bears are one of several NFL teams who hav managed to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak, but they now have their first positive test since the start of the 2020 season. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, a member of the Bears’ practice squad has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The player who tested positive was later named by NFL analyst Albert Breer after the Bears added the individual to their reserve/COVID-19 list. Offensive lineman Badara Traore was placed on the team’s reserve’COVID-19 list Saturday afternoon.
A strength and conditioning coach from the Kansas City Chiefs also tested positive Saturday.
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A Positive COVID Test on the Practice Squad: What Does it Mean for Chicago?
The Bears just got done playing the Buccaneers on Thursday night, and, as Schefter noted, the organization has remained closed since Thursday evening. One important thing to consider along with this, as NBC Sports’ J.J. Stankevitz noted on Twitter, is that players on the practice squad are not allowed on the sidelines when games are in progress, so that’s a good sign for Chicago moving forward.
There’s also the chance that Traore had a false positive, which has already happened several times with multiple players, including Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and again this week with a member of the New York Jets.
Bears Practice Squad Players: A Refresher
New rules implemented due to COVID-19 have allowed teams to have 16 players on their practice squads this year, and the Bears are taking full advantage of it. They currently have the following 16 players listed on their practice squad other than Traore, per the team website: wide receiver Rodney Adams, defensive end Terry Beckner, quarterback Tyler Bray, defensive back Xavier Crawford, wideout Reggie Davis, offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen, linebacker Sharif Finch, kicker Kai Forbath, tight end Jesper Horsted, running back Lamar Miller, wide receiver Thomas Ives, offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, linebacker Ledarius Mack, defensive lineman LaCale London and offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons.
While it’s unclear as of now if any other Bears players have tested positive, certain players, like Tyler Bray, Kai Forbath and Lamar Miller, are more likely to be called up to the team’s active roster than others, so depending on what happens with Traore, this could be a bit of a blow for the Bears’ practice squad. It could also be nothing.
When Bears head coach Matt Nagy was asked about the outbreak within the Tennessee Titans’ organization, he said the following earlier this month:
“I think it just reiterates the importance of all of us always having the masks on,” Nagy said, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN. “When you really think about it, it’s really not that hard to put a mask on. Just wear your mask and wear it all the time. It’s not hard.”
We’ll keep you posted on the situation as it develops. As of now, there’s no reason for the Bears or their fans to panic, although it is certainly something to monitor moving forward.
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