Seahawks Place WR Tyler Lockett, RB Alex Collins On Reserve/COVID-19 List

With record-setting positive cases around the league, Seattle unfortunately wasn't exempt from the virus inflicting damage on its roster with two key offensive players now potentially out for Sunday's game in Los Angeles.

For most of the 2021 season, with the majority of its players and coaches vaccinated, the NFL has had the ongoing pandemic under control. But with a new variant now wreaking havoc across the country, 89 players league-wide who either tested positive or had close contacts with an infected individual landed on the reserve/COVID-19 over the past three days.

Unfortunately, after not having any positives during testing on Monday, the Seahawks run of good luck against the virus came to an end on Thursday as the team placed star receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Alex Collins on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It remains unknown whether the players tested positive or were close contacts.

Compared to the rest of the NFL, Seattle has been extremely fortunate keeping players from becoming infected over the past two seasons. Last year, the team didn't have a single player miss a regular season game due to the virus and in the first 14 weeks of this season, only tight end Gerald Everett missed game action.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, coach Pete Carroll indicated Seattle has been taking more precautions in regards to protocols with other teams struggling through outbreaks. Washington currently has 17 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, while the Los Angeles Rams - the Seahawks' Week 15 opponent - have 16 players on the list, including cornerback Jalen Ramsey and receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

"I’m really proud of everybody because the players have to do their part but so do the support group," Carroll said. "The support group, they are much more out and about, and they are all over the place. They are the ones that have to really be careful too and be disciplined about it because it’s coming from outside, it’s not coming from inside. If it comes to us, it’s going to come from outside, so anybody who is more connected to the outside world has to be more on alert and we have to do a great job of it. It’s a big challenge and we aren’t doing it perfectly, we are struggling with it too, like everybody else is.”

With the NFL adjusting protocols on Thursday, it's now conceivable Lockett, Collins, and many of the players currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list for the Rams will be able to play on Sunday. Vaccinated players can now take multiple tests on the day after their positive test and if both return as negative and they are symptom free, they can be activated to the 53-man roster.

New memo on the NFL and NFLPA’s adjusted COVID-19 protocols pic.twitter.com/wC98yqlVUQ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2021

Under previous protocols, assuming both players had positive tests and are vaccinated, Lockett and Collins would have needed to have two negative tests 24 hours apart by Saturday to be eligible to play for the Seahawks this weekend. Those same protocols would obviously have applied to the Rams as well. For Lockett and Collins in particular, that would have created a tight window requiring negative tests on Friday and Saturday.

While the Seahawks have plenty of backfield options if Collins isn't able to play, including veteran Adrian Peterson and undrafted rookie Josh Johnson on the practice squad, losing Lockett would be a major blow heading into a pivotal divisional matchup. The star wideout caught five passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in last weekend's win over the Texans and leads the team with 62 receptions and 1,023 receiving yards through 13 games.

Without Lockett, rookie Dee Eskridge and second-year receiver Freddie Swain would step into larger roles behind DK Metcalf, while tight ends such as Everett and Colby Parkinson could factor more into the passing game to help pick up the slack. Seattle also has special teams standout Penny Hart on the 53-man roster and could elevate Aaron Fuller, Cade Johnson, or recently signed Matt Cole off the practice squad for extra depth on the outside.

If there's a potential silver lining, the Rams have several high profile players who may or may not be able to suit up on Sunday either. Ramsey being out would somewhat negate Lockett's lack of availability, while Beckham, starting right tackle Rob Havenstein, running back Darrell Henderson, and safety Jordan Fuller all stand out as important players who remain on the COVID-19 list with four days until kickoff.