In a short week, the news comes fast and furious anyway but in advance of Thursday night’s match between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, this Tuesday was jam packed with news, very little of it good.
Let’s break it down into three topics.
COVID
The positive test of rookie running back A.J. Dillon announced early Monday morning sent the Packers into the NFL’s Intensive Protocols. That included limiting the numbers of personnel allowed into Lambeau Field for meetings and those that did enter were even more restricted with things like social distancing. The team’s medical and security staff had to conduct contact tracing investigations into anyone who came in close contact with Dillon. That turned up two more players who joined Dillon on the Reserve/Covid list. Fellow running back Jamaal Williams and rookie linebacker Kamal Martin were officially added to that list today. The cumulative time, distance and ventilation determined both to be high risk covid candidates. It makes sense with Williams and Dillon working together in the running back room and it’s believed Martin is a roommate of Dillon. Under league protocols, all three must now isolate from the rest of the team for a minimum of five days, even if Williams and Martin never tested positive for the coronavirus.
The NFL’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Allen Sills, along with the league’s Chief Football Administration Officer, Dawn Aponte, conducted a national conference call on Tuesday to talk about new protocols in the wake of not only Dillon’s positive test, but Baltimore Raven defensive back Marlon Humphrey.
Among the changes, players will now be required to wear masks on the sidelines, for any post game gatherings with opposing players after the game and in the locker room. The sideline area for teams will be expanded from the 30 to 30 yard lines to between the 20’s to allow more distancing.
TRADE DEADLINE
Deal, or no deal? For General Manager Brian Gutekunst, it was, to hardly anyone’s surprise, no deal as the NFL trade deadline expired at 3:00 PM CST. That’s not to say there wasn’t intrigue.
The Packers were in conversation with the Houston Texans regarding wide receiver Will Fuller V. He’s in the fifth year option on his original contract and will become a free agent at the end of the season. There was a report the Texans wanted at least a second round pick for Fuller and according to The Athletic, the Packers weren’t willing to go above a fourth round choice.
National pundits and a lot of fans were almost begging the Packers to pull the trigger on a deal to add another offensive weapon for Aaron Rodgers but Gutekunst stayed on the sidelines, hoping the return of Allen Lazard from injured reserve will fit that bill.
ESPN’s Dianna Rossini reported there was division in Green Bay’s front office over such a trade but Head Coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday evening, “I have no idea where anything like that would ever come from. We’re in constant communication and on the same page. There is no truth to that, I can promise you that.”
Gutekunst wasn’t alone on deadline day, only a couple of minor deals were completed league wide.
THE 49ERS
The NFL’s Dawn Aponte announced during today’s conference call the game remains on for Levi’s Stadium Thursday night.
Both teams are in horrible shape on what’s still a horrible, but profitable idea for the league, Thursday night football. While the Packers are dealing with the virus and a couple of key injuries, the 49ers have been all but wiped out.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain and All-Pro tight end George Kittle could be done for the season, out 8 weeks at least after breaking a bone in his foot in Sunday’s loss at Seattle. San Francisco has a loaded injured reserve list including front line players like Nick Bosa, Raheem Mostert, Richard Sherman, Dee Ford and Ben Garland. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said today receiver Deebo Samuel isn’t ready to return from injury and third string running back Tevin Coleman won’t make it this week either.
The Packers are still hoping Aaron Jones can return from a calf strain that has sidelined him for two weeks. The NFL Network reported the team is not optimistic about his chances but LaFleur said it could come to a game time decision. Without Williams and Dillon, the Packers will bring last year’s draft choice out of Notre Dame, Dexter Williams up from the practice squad and he’s likely to be Thursday’s featured back. Tyler Ervin, recovering from a wrist injury is another option but he’s spent most of his time in the wide receiver room as a motion man and jet sweep threat.
With Martin out, the Packers are left with Krys Barnes and Ty Summers at inside linebacker. Newly signed James Burgess might get some snaps and there’s an outside chance Christian Kirksey could be recalled from injured reserve.
PRACTICE SQUAD
For the first time this year, the Packers have protected three of their practice squad players. With the designation, other NFL teams can not put a claim in for those players to bring them on to their rosters. Dexter Williams was one of them, along with safety Henry Black who’s been a game day call up each of the past two weeks and defensive back Stanford Samuels.
The Packers made a tight end swap on the practice squad today, signing Dax Raymond and releasing Nakia Griffen-Stewart. Raymond was a Utah State teammate of number one pick Jordan Love who spent last year on the Bears practice squad and was in Pittsburgh’s training camp this summer.
