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The 2021 NFL season is revving up for the post-season as the wildcard hunts become heated down the stretch. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed contained earlier in the season with minimal players being exposed and mostly unvaccinated players being forced to miss games. However, there appear to be several teams dealing with an outbreak that could affect more of the league over the course of Week 15. As of Tuesday, the NFL has seven teams under enhanced COVID-19 protocol.
The enhanced protocol for COVID-19 was created to battle serious outbreaks in the NFL and it is virtually a lockdown for the teams involved. All team meetings are to be held virtually. Masks are mandatory for all players and staff, whether vaccinated or not. There were a record 37 positive COVID-19 tests on Monday with around 25 more expected on Tuesday. There are seven NFL teams in the enhanced protocol and we can expect to see more before the weekend.
Los Angeles Rams
The LA Rams had several players come up positive shortly after the win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night. They had nine players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, including wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who recently downplayed the entire concern over COVID-19. Tight end Brycen Hopkins and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson were the other offensive players involved. A total of six defensive players tested positive, including defensive end Jonah Williams and several defensive backs: Jordan Fuller, Terrell Burgess, Juju Hughes and Tyler Hall.
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Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are another team with more than a dozen players now on the NFL reserve list from positive tests. Unlike the Rams, the Browns are losing several key starters for the upcoming game. Jarvis Landry is the sole contributor in the passing game and his absence will greatly alter their gameplan. Starting tackle Jedrick Wills is out on the list, as is tight end Austin Hooper and guard Wyatt Teller. The defensive side of the ball is only losing defensive end Takkarist McKinley, which is a tough loss but at least the defense is mostly intact.
Atlanta Falcons
Despite being the first NFL team to be 100 percent vaccinated, the Atlanta Falcons have placed three players on the reserve/COVID-19 list: special-teams ace Emmanuel Ellerbee, cornerback Cornell Armstrong and linebacker Quinton Bell. It's a soft hit, but the Falcons are expected to be adding a few more players over the coming days. Atlanta are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, and the loss of any players greatly hurts their chances of a post-season.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are out of playoff contention, but that doesn't mean their roster is clear from COVID-19 casualties. They already had cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu and Mark Gilbert on the COVID-19 list prior to their Week 14 game, joining running back Jamaal Williams, center Evan Brown and cornerback Bobby Price. Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman was added after the game, leaving the Lions very thin in the secondary.
Minnesota VIkings
The Minnesota Vikings are already rocky after an inconsistent few weeks and are now depleted in their depth. Running back Alexander Mattison joined the NFL COVID-19 list, along with wide receiver Dan Chisena, guard Kyle Hinton, defensive end Danielle Hunter, receivers Dede Westbrook and Trishton Jackson, and running back AJ Rose Jr. Their starters have been mostly unaffected for now, but their depth has taken a serious hit.
Washington Football Team
Cornerback Kendall Fuller and defensive tackle Tim Settle were part of the mass group that was added to the NFL COVID-19 list today. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was added yesterday, joining defensive end William Bradley-King, special-teams ace David Mayo and tight end Temarrick Hemingway. Washington do not look like a team capable of overcoming the remainder of the schedule to have a shot at the playoffs.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are another team on the outside looking in, and now their roster is even less dynamic. Defensive tackle Eddie Golman, cornerback Artie Burns and linebacker Sam Kamara were added to the NFL COVID-19 list, which hurts the defense as they were the leading unit for the Bears.
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