Jaguars to remain in league’s ‘intensive’ COVID-19 protocols this week, no new positives

On Saturday, the Jacksonville Jaguars placed 12 players on the team’s practice squad/COVID-19 list, including:

RB Nathan Cottrell

TE Ben Ellefson

LB Nate Evans

LB Joe Giles-Harris

WR Terry Godwin

WR Josh Hammond

OL Jared Hilbers

OL KC McDermott

DB Doug Middleton

DB Josh Nurse

OL Austen Pleasants

WR Trey Quinn

They also placed veteran defensive lineman Josh Mauro on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Currently, the team has just one other player, running back Ryquell Armstead, on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. Armstead has been on the list since September 4th.

The quarantine came shortly after an individual on the team’s practice squad was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, and subsequently the team placed several practice squad players on the practice squad/COVID-19 list due to contact tracing.

Since then, the Jaguars have not had any new positive test results, the team said. The team will also be going through the league’s “intensive protocols” which have remained in place since Saturday. Some of the protocols such as masks, tracers, social distancing and the like have continued to be implemented throughout the offseason and into the season.

There will, however, be some changes to the team’s protocols this week through Friday, including:

• All player meetings will be conducted virtually.
• Both the weight room and locker room will have capacity limits at all times.
• Player activity inside facility will include meals, lifting, medical and rehab and practice.
• Practice or walk through is allowed on practice field or in the flex field.
• Daily PCR tests will continue will continue to be required for all players. All players, coaches and Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff members must produce negative results from the previous day before they are permitted in facility.
• Masks and Kinexon contact tracers must continue to be worn at all times while at the facility.

For the players on the practice squad that were added to the COVID-19 list due to contact tracing, they can return to the facility on Thursday as long as they continue to produce negative results.

Throughout the league, teams have seen a rise in COVID-19 positive test results, however, the NFL has quickly amended its schedule to accommodate teams that have had to delay or postpone games as a result. The Tennessee Titans played the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday last week, while playing another game on Sunday against the Houston Texans, for example.

The Jaguars did not have to postpone or cancel its game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday as a result of their positive COVID-19 test result, and quickly assured no players who have come in close contact with the individual that did test positive via quarantine protocols.

On Sunday morning, the Jaguars released the following statement: “The team has received zero new positive tests since yesterday (Saturday), and all members of our active roster have received multiple negative tests and are eligible to play in today’s (Sunday’s) game against the Lions.

Throughout the season, there will continue to be cases that occur within teams as the virus remains prevalent throughout the United States, but in the meantime, teams that do have positive tests results will use protocols to counteract any potential spread, allowing them to continue to play football.

The Jaguars will travel on Saturday to face off against the Los Angeles Chargers, a game in which was moved up a week due to the league’s schedule change in lieu of the recent positive COVID-19 results.