49ers Place Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel on Reserve/COVID-19 List
Here we go.
First San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday morning. Now the 49ers have announced they've placed Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel on the Reserve/COVID-19 List as well.
This doesn't mean Aiyuk, Williams and Samuel all have tested positive, but it does mean all three were in close contact with Bourne -- the 49ers practiced Tuesday evening. None of those four will be allowed to play Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers.
And yes, for now, the game is still on, according to the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
Perhaps if more 49ers test positive on Thursday, the NFL will have no choice but to postpone the game. And at this point, the 49ers should hope the league postpones it. Because if the game goes on, the 49ers will have to play without Bourne, Samuel, Williams, Aiyuk, George Kittle, Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman and Jimmy Garoppolo.
None of the 49ers' top-three wide receivers will play. Meaning their starting receivers could be Trent Taylor and Richie James Jr., with River Cracraft as Kevin White as the backups. Not good.
Meanwhile, the Packers could be without their top-three running backs. So we could have a game in which one team can't run the ball and the other team can't pass it. Sounds like the must-watch prime-time television.
It seems it would be in the NFL's interest to postpone this game instead of airing such a compromised prospect on national television. But what do I know?
Stay tuned. This story isn't over.
