Saints running back Alvin Alvin Kamara is on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list after reportedly testing positive for the coronavirus on Thursday.
Several other Saints running backs will be out for the Saints regular season finale due to close contact with Kamara.
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New Orleans has already clinched a playoff berth, but won’t know who and when they’ll play until after this weekend’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
Regardless of when they’ll play, COVID-19 has made the availability of several players, including Kamara, uncertain for the playoffs.
Here’s the earliest dates Saints players who are currently sidelined due to the Coronavirus could return:
Alvin Kamara could be back Jan. 10 at the earliest: The Pro Bowl running back is reportedly not experiencing symptoms of the virus and under the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols must isolate for 10 days, beginning the day of the positive test, before being eligible to return. If Kamara remains asymptomatic, the earliest he could return is Jan. 10.
NFL Wild Card games are set for Jan. 9-10. The Saints would play on one of those days if they are unable to secure the top seed in the NFC playoffs which comes with a first-round bye. If New Orleans ends up schedule dot play on the 10th, Kamara theoretically could be eligible to play that day as long as he doesn’t experience and symptoms.
If he begins to experience symptoms of COVID-19, he won’t be able to return until 10 days after he first reports them.
Other Saints players who’ve had the virus and experienced symptoms like Terron Armstead and Emmanuel Sanders, missed two games.
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Close contacts could return next week: Saints running backs Latavius Murray, Dwayne Washington and fullback Michael Burton are out for Sunday’s game due to close contact with Kamara, according to multiple reports.
Per the NFL’s protocols close contacts are eligible to return after two negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart unless deemed “high risk” close contacts. High risk close contacts must isolate for five days while continuing to test negative for the virus.
If those players don’t test positive within the next few days they all could be back for a potential wild card matchup.