Vikings Add Another Cornerback to COVID List, Sign DT T.J. Smith to Practice Squad

Harrison Hand is on the NFL's COVID list for the second time in the last two weeks.

The Vikings have added cornerback Harrison Hand to the NFL's Reserve/COVID-19 list for the second time in the last two weeks, according to the league's transactions wire. This comes one day after fellow CB Cameron Dantzler was placed on the COVID list due to a positive test.

Dantzler is vaccinated, so he can return to action soon if he doesn't show symptoms and has two negative tests in 24 hours.

Hand is believed to be unvaccinated, which complicates things. It's unclear if he also tested positive or was flagged as a close contact. If he is indeed unvaccinated, that would mean missing a minimum of ten days (for a positive test) or five days (if he's a close contact).

However, the last time Hand went on the COVID list was September 22nd, and he was activated just two days later. Maybe that means he's vaccinated, or maybe it was a timing thing where the five-day clock started prior to the day he officially went on the list.

Either way, the Vikings are down two corners at the moment. That leaves them with Patrick Peterson, Mackensie Alexander, Bashaud Breeland (who missed the majority of Sunday's game with an illness), and Kris Boyd. Parry Nickerson and Tye Smith are the two corners on the practice squad.

Hopefully Dantzler and Hand will be the only Vikings who have to go on the COVID list and won't spend too much time on it.

In other roster moves, the Vikings have made a change on the practice squad. They released WR Whop Philyor yesterday and today signed defensive tackle T.J. Smith to take his place.

And because people tend to overreact to these things: no, signing a DT to the practice squad does not indicate anything about Michael Pierce's health. Just a move to get some more depth behind Watts and James Lynch. DE Kenny Willekes was previously the only D-lineman on the PS.

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 5, 2021

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