CBSSports.com and SportsLine break down every single game in Week 17
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NFL COVID-19 tracker
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague the NFL. As of Monday night, 521 players had been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in December alone, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That's nearly one in four active players.
Even worse is that 476 of those have come since Dec. 13. (For context, 428 players went on COVID reserve all of last season, Sept. 1 to Super Bowl LV). Many high-profile players have missed games this season after testing positive for the virus, and more players will undoubtedly miss time during the final two weeks of the 2021 regular season.
A record 106 players were placed on the COVID list Monday, with several teams getting hit hard. The Jaguars added the most players (10), the Raiders lost all three starting linebackers, and the Chargers went down four defensive backs and already ruled out three starters for Week 17 versus the Broncos. Other big names added to the list include the Buccaneers' Mike Evans, the Titans' Julio Jones and Bud Dupree, the Panthers' Brian Burns and Shaq Thompson, and the Patriots' Matt Judon.
However, none of those moves were as significant as the Colts placing quarterback Carson Wentz on COVID reserve Tuesday, putting his status in doubt for Indy's showdown with the Raiders on Sunday. The other big news from Tuesday is that Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians tested positive for COVID-19 and has been isolating at home, per the team. Assistant head coach Harold Goodwin is taking over head coaching duties in his absence.
The biggest news Wednesday was the Raiders placing Darren Waller on COVID reserve. Waller has missed the past four games with a hip injury, but there was optimism he would return to practice in some capacity this week. Now, he's in COVID protocols, meaning Las Vegas could be without him again for its crucial AFC showdown with the Colts on Sunday.
On Friday, the Vikings announced that quarterback Kirk Cousins is in COVID protocols and will miss the pivotal "Sunday Night Football" matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Washington also placed running back Antonio Gibson on the reserve/COVID-19 list. And the Broncos placed wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and pass-rusher Bradley Chubb on their growing list.
There was a lot of encouraging news on the COVID-19 front Saturday, as a bunch of impact players were activated. Among those who cleared protocols: Panthers DE Brian Burns and LB Shaq Thompson; Colts QB Carson Wentz; Raiders LBs Cory Littleton and Denzel Perryman; Chargers CB Chris Harris, S Nasir Adderley and K Dustin Hopkins; Patriots LB Matt Judon; Eagles DE Derek Barnett; Buccaneers CBs Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting; and Titans OLB Bud Dupree. A total of 55 players were activated from COVID reserve Saturday, according to ESPN's Field Yates.
(Note: On Tuesday, the NFL adopted new COVID protocols that reduce the mandated quarantine for positive players from 10 to five days, with no "test out" required if players are asymptomatic. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated players.)
Here's an updated look at each team's current COVID-19 situation as we head into Week 17, specifically which players are on COVID reserve:
Arizona Cardinals
T D.J. Humphries (Dec. 30)
LB Devon Kennard (Dec. 31)
DB Breon Borders (Dec. 28)
LB Markus Golden (Dec. 27)
Atlanta Falcons
T Jason Spriggs (Dec. 30)
DE Jonathan Bullard (Dec. 29)
S Jaylinn Hawkins (Dec. 29)
TE Hayden Hurst (Dec. 29)
WR Tajae Sharpe (Dec. 27)
OLB James Vaughters (Dec. 27)
DL Marlon Davidson (Dec. 23)
Baltimore Ravens
TE Josh Oliver (Dec. 23)
Buffalo Bills
None
Carolina Panthers
TE Tommy Tremble (Dec. 31)
DE Darryl Johnson (Dec. 30)
LB Haason Reddick (Dec. 29)
QB P.J. Walker (Dec. 29)
C Sam Tecklenburg (Dec. 27)
DT Phil Hoskins (Dec. 27)
Chicago Bears
TE Jesper Horsted (Dec. 21)
LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (Dec. 16)
Cincinnati Bengals
CB Trae Waynes (Dec. 31)
WR Trenton Irwin (Dec. 31)
DB Darius Phillips (Dec. 27)
Cleveland Browns
LB Elijah Lee (Dec. 27)
T Alex Taylor (Dec. 27)
LB Tony Fields II (Dec. 17)
Dallas Cowboys
DT Quinton Bohanna (Dec. 31)
LB Keanu Neal (Dec. 31)
LB Francis Bernard (Dec. 27)
WR Simi Fehoko (Dec. 24)
Denver Broncos
WR Jerry Jeudy (Dec. 31)
OLB Jonathon Cooper (Dec. 31)
ILB Baron Browning (Dec. 31)
DL McTelvin Agim (Dec. 31)
LB Bradley Chubb (Dec. 31)
DB Bryce Callahan (Dec. 30)
DB Mike Ford (Dec. 30)
T Bobby Massie (Dec. 30)
LB Stephen Weatherly (Dec. 30)
WR Tim Patrick (Dec. 29)
T Calvin Anderson (Dec. 29)
S Caden Sterns (Dec. 29)
NT Mike Purcell (Dec. 27)
Detroit Lions
WR Kalif Raymond (Dec. 30)
DE Michael Brockers (Dec. 29)
G Halapoulivaati Vaitai (Dec. 29)
TE Brock Wright (Dec. 28)
WR Josh Reynolds (Dec. 27)
Green Bay Packers
DL Kingsley Keke (Dec. 29)
WR Amari Rodgers (Dec. 27)
Houston Texans
TE Antony Auclair (Dec. 31)
LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (Dec. 31)
WR Danny Amendola (Dec. 30)
RB David Johnson (Dec. 27)
DB Lonnie Johnson Jr. (Dec. 23)
OL Tytus Howard (Dec. 23)
Indianapolis Colts
LS Luke Rhodes (Dec. 31)
LB Malik Jefferson (Dec. 27)
Jacksonville Jaguars
CB Shaquill Griffin (Dec. 31)
S Andrew Wingard (Dec. 30)
OT Cam Robinson (Dec. 29)
WR Jaydon Mickens (Dec. 29)
LB Dylan Moses (Dec. 29)
S Rudy Ford (Dec. 29)
TE Jacob Hollister (Dec. 28)
DT Jay Tufele (Dec. 28)
LB Damien Wilson (Dec. 28)
DE/OLB K'Lavon Chaisson (Dec. 27)
OL Brandon Linder (Dec. 27)
DE/OLB Lerentee McCray (Dec. 27)
OL Ben Bartch (Dec. 24)
Kansas City Chiefs
None
Las Vegas Raiders
DE Carl Nassib (Dec. 30)
G Jordan Simmons (Dec. 30)
TE Darren Waller (Dec. 29)
DT Kendall Vickers (Dec. 29)
LB Will Compton (Dec. 28)
LB Patrick Onwuasor (Dec. 27)
Los Angeles Chargers
TE Jared Cook (Dec. 31)
LB Kenneth Murray (Dec. 29)
Los Angeles Rams
RB Raymond Calais (Dec. 29)
Miami Dolphins
CB Noah Igbinoghene (Jan. 1)
S Sheldrick Redwine (Jan. 1)
DT John Jenkins (Dec. 28)
WR Preston Williams (Dec. 28)
Minnesota Vikings
QB Kirk Cousins (Dec. 31)
LB Nick Vigil (Dec. 30)
DE Patrick Jones II (Dec. 29)
New England Patriots
T Yodny Cajuste (Dec. 30)
New Orleans Saints
C Erik McCoy (Dec. 30)
S Marcus Williams (Dec. 29)
T Ryan Ramczyk (Dec. 24)
New York Giants
OT Korey Cunningham (Dec. 30)
WR Darius Slayton (Dec. 30)
DL Dexter Lawrence (Dec. 29)
NT Danny Shelton (Dec. 25)
New York Jets
RB Tevin Coleman (Dec. 30)
LB Jarrad Davis (Dec. 28)
TE Tyler Kroft (Dec. 27)
DT Quinnen Williams (Dec. 26)
S Sharrod Neasman (Dec. 20)
Philadelphia Eagles
CB Andre Chachere (Dec. 27)
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB Joe Schobert (Dec. 31)
DL Chris Wormley (Dec. 31)
DB Arthur Maulet (Dec. 30)
RB Anthony McFarland Jr. (Dec. 23)
LB Devin Bush (Dec. 22)
OT Zach Banner (Dec. 22)
San Francisco 49ers
None
Seattle Seahawks
CB Sidney Jones IV (Jan. 1)
G Damien Lewis (Dec. 30)
CB Bless Austin (Dec. 25)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
P Bradley Pinion (Dec. 31)
WR Jaelon Darden (Dec. 23)
Tennessee Titans
LB Jayon Brown (Dec. 28)
WR Julio Jones (Dec. 27)
OL Kendall Lamm (Dec. 23)
Washington Football Team
RB Antonio Gibson (Dec. 31)
G Ereck Flowers Sr. (Dec. 31)
P Tress Way (Dec. 30)
T Sam Cosmi (Dec. 30)
CB Darryl Roberts (Dec. 29)
(Note: This list does not include players on practice squad or injured reserve.)
