Green Bay Packers place second key starter on COVID list

The Green Bay Packers appear to have a major developing problem.

Just 24 hours after announcing they would be without their best wide receiver vs. the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night, NFL Insider Ian Rappaport reported the Packers will now be without Allen Lazard, who was expected to play a bigger role in the game plan.

The #Packers placed WR Allen Lazard on reserve/COVID-19 list. Suddenly a short-handed position.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 26, 2021

Lazard is coming off his best game of the season after hauling in five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown vs. Washington on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers are now beyond thin at the wide receiver position. On Monday, Packers wide reciever Davante Adams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, as announced by general manager Brian Gutekunst.

The Packers also lost defensive coordinator Joe Barry after he tested positive with COVID-19. Barry and Adams will definitely miss the Packers’ Thursday Night Football game against Arizona.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that given the short week, the Green Bay Packers have entered enhanced mitigation COVID protocols.

“With a short work week and a game Thursday night vs. unbeaten Arizona, the Packers now have entered enhanced mitigation COVID protocols that call for daily testing and masks to be worn at the facility,” Schefter tweeted.

The Packers are coming off a 24-10 win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday. In the win, Adams recorded six receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown. On the season, Davante Adams has 52 receptions for 744 yards and three touchdowns. Adams is third in the league in total receiving yards trailing Rams’ wide reciever Cooper Kupp and Bengals rookie Ja’Marr Chase.

The loss of Davante Adams and Barry for at least Thursday’s game over the Cardinals is the latest in the series of curveballs thrown at the Green Bay Packers. They now have four starters placed on injured reserve in center Josh Myers, cornerback Jaire Alexander, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, and wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Myers was placed on injured reserve on Saturday after suffering a knee injury on the fourth offensive snap of the team’s week six win over the Bears.

After yesterday’s victory, Packers safety Adrian Amos recognized the Green Bay Packers have been snakebitten by injuries on the defensive side of the football. Still, the unit hasn’t been deterred — playing well in a victory over the Washington Football Team yesterday.

After the game, Amos revealed the mindset the Packers have playing without multiple stars on defense. It’s even more on the nose after the news of regarding their defensive coordinator dropped.

“You can’t sulk in it,” Amos stated. “It’s something where we’re playing the game regardless. You saw last year when teams had a whole bunch of players out, we played anyways. We know we’re going to have to come out and show up — nobodies going to give us any excuses.”

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will cross their fingers that this recent spread of COVID doesn’t extend to anyone else in the organization between now and kickoff on Thursday night.