GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers put Allen Lazard on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, meaning the team could be without its top three wide receivers heading into Thursday’s game against the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.
The news about Lazard, who was added to the list as a close contact, comes one day after leading receiver Davante Adams landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Lazard by all indications is not vaccinated and will have to quarantine for five days, meaning he’ll miss Thursday’s game.
Unless Marquez Valdes-Scantling can come off injured reserve — he’s missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, but there’s hope he can return this week — the Packers could be without their top three wideouts vs. Arizona.
“There’s a little bit of a shock factor for sure,” Aaron Rodgers said about learning of Adams’ test. “But we dealt with it last year. We’re maybe slightly more healthy than some of the other teams as far as not having as many cases. But there have been cases here and we’ve dealt with them.”
Veteran Randall Cobb, who returned to the Packers this season after a year in Dallas and a year in Houston, could be Rodgers’ primary target against the Cardinals. Running back Aaron Jones is second on the team with 26 receptions.
The Packers did a little bit of good news in that receiver Malik Taylor, who has been on the COVID list since Oct. 15, was activated Tuesday. And Valdes-Scantling, according to coach Matt LaFleur, is “getting better and better” and “running every day.”
“He’s working hard to be back out there, and it’s just going to be a matter of where he is on game day,” LaFleur said.
The only way that Adams would be able to play in Thursday’s game is if he’s asymptomatic and has two negative tests 24 hours apart. He hasn’t been forced to follow protocols for unvaccinated players, an indication that he is vaccinated.
The Packers are scheduled to leave for Phoenix on Wednesday, and Adams could not travel with the team without two negative tests….
Source : espn
