METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints’ top two quarterbacks — Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian — both landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, along with safety Malcolm Jenkins and six other backup players.
Rookie quarterback Ian Book has been preparing to make his NFL debut against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Hill and Siemian have both tested positive for COVID-19, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The other six players added to the list Thursday were offensive tackle Jordan Mills, guard James Carpenter, linebacker Kaden Elliss, safety Jeff Heath, defensive end Jalyn Holmes and defensive tackle Christian Ringo.
The Saints (7-7) have also been without coach Sean Payton since Friday because of a positive COVID-19 test, and they placed tight ends Adam Trautman and Juwan Johnson on the COVID-19 list earlier this week as well.
Interim head coach Dennis Allen decided to cancel a scheduled walk-through practice on Thursday to keep everybody distanced and all meetings were held virtually. The Saints did put out an estimated injury report, however, listing starting offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk as not participating with knee injuries.
If Armstead and Ramczyk both remain sidelined, that would make Mills’ absence even more costly — and it would significantly increase the degree of difficulty for Book.
Book has not tested positive, sources told ESPN, but the Saints will likely have to add depth since he is the only healthy quarterback on the roster or practice squad. Running back Alvin Kamara has been designated as the Saints’ emergency quarterback in the past.
Book, who was drafted in the fourth round out of Notre Dame, would be the fifth quarterback to start for the Saints during the 2021 calendar year. Drew Brees retired after making two playoff starts in January and Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 8 before Siemian and Hill took turns replacing him.
As a result of that…
Source : espn
