Packers Huddle

What’s next for three Packers added to reserve/COVID-19 list?
By Matt Schneidman Jul 30, 2020

The Packers added kicker Mason Crosby, tight end Jace Sternberger and defensive lineman Treyvon Hester to the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, according to the NFL transaction wire, meaning those three players either tested positive for the virus or are quarantined after coming in close contact with someone who has.

The Packers first tested veterans for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The trio joins outside linebacker Greg Roberts as the four players on the list after Roberts was placed there Wednesday.

For the Packers to activate players from the reserve/COVID-19 list, they must clear protocols based on whether they tested positive themselves and whether they are symptomatic or not.

If any of the aforementioned four players tested positive and are symptomatic, they can return to Lambeau Field if at least 10 days have passed since their symptoms appeared and at least 72 hours have passed since they last experienced symptoms. They must then be cleared by the Packers team physician Dr. Patrick McKenzie.

If they tested positive but are asymptomatic, they can return to the facility if 10 days have passed since their first positive test or if five days have passed since their first negative test and they receive two straight negative results within those five days. McKenzie also must clear the player in this scenario.

If players only came in close contact with an individual who tested positive and didn’t test positive themselves, they must test again as soon as possible and self-quarantine until they receive their result. To be cleared to return to the facility, they must test negative a second time within 24 hours of their first negative result, monitor their symptoms often and take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) virus test daily (and test negative) for a week before reverting to a normal testing schedule.

Crosby, coming off one of the best seasons of his 13-year career, is currently the Packers’ only kicker. Sternberger, the team’s 2019 third-round pick, figures to be Green Bay’s primary receiving tight end this season after missing the first half of his rookie season while on injured reserve. The Packers signed Hester this offseason to bolster their defensive line depth, and Roberts spent the entirety of his rookie season last season on the physically unable to perform list.

All four players still count toward the team’s roster size while on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Packers also claimed H-back John Lovett off waivers from the Chiefs on Thursday, according to the NFL transaction wire, bringing their roster total to 88 after wide receiver Devin Funchess opted out of the 2020 season on Wednesday due to COVID-19.

Lovett, who played quarterback at Princeton from 2015-18, signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but spent his rookie season on injured reserve. He joins rookie Josiah Deguara, rookie Jordan Jones and Elijah Wellman as Packers who can fill the fullback and/or H-back role.

Drj820 wrote: ↑

31 Jul 2020 14:35

Not that I know anything about what he’s actually thinking, but it would not surprise me if Crosby was one of the ones that ended up just saying “see yal next year”. Now if he currently has it, maybe he can come play and not worry about getting it again. But the guy had made tons of money, he’s older already, And his wife had lung cancer. He just got the new deal, if my wife had just gotten over lung cancer and I had all those things going for me...I wouldn’t hesitate to just start enjoying my new deal in 2021.

APB wrote: ↑

31 Jul 2020 21:15

It’s interesting to me the measures the league is taking for simple “possible” exposures of players to infected people. Hell, I fit that category nearly every day at work, and most of the time there ain’t any “possible” about it. It’s a definite.

Sure, I wear an N95 at work when hauling patients but I’d guess these players with their team medical connections have all the N95 masks they need, too. Only other monitoring measure I take is a body temp reading upon arrival/departure from work every day.

I guess these NFL players are too important to risk anything...

APB wrote: ↑

31 Jul 2020 21:15

It’s interesting to me the measures the league is taking for simple “possible” exposures of players to infected people. Hell, I fit that category nearly every day at work, and most of the time there ain’t any “possible” about it. It’s a definite.

Sure, I wear an N95 at work when hauling patients but I’d guess these players with their team medical connections have all the N95 masks they need, too. Only other monitoring measure I take is a body temp reading upon arrival/departure from work every day.

I guess these NFL players are too important to risk anything...