See y’all Sunday ❤️
— Alvin Kamara (@A_kamara6) January 8, 2021
The New Orleans Saints appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. While several playmakers have been sidelined by COVID-19, reinforcements are coming just in time for Sunday’s Wild-Card Round playoff game with the Chicago Bears — at least according to what the players themselves are saying on Twitter.
Alvin Kamara has been watched closely ever since he tested positive for the coronavirus days before Week 17’s regular season finale with the Carolina Panthers. He’s been teleworking from home in the meantime, watching a livestream of Saints practices and meetings with a direct line to Sean Payton, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. And on Thursday evening Kamara shared a quick message with his fans, saying “See y’all Sunday.”
Just five minutes later, C.J. Gardner-Johnson followed with his own statement, though his was more, well, boisterous:
IMMMM BAAAACCCKKKKKKKKK 😈 pic.twitter.com/gG6qVRXQoR
— Ceedy Duce. (@CGJXXIII) January 8, 2021
So it seems each of the them will be available for the first round of the playoffs, which is great news for the Saints. Kamara is the best player on the team, full stop. Gardner-Johnson is an effective slot corner who has made his best plays in run defense, allowing the squad to field lighter personnel packages without losing its physical edge. Adding them to the equation should do a lot to tip the odds in New Orleans’ favor.
But we should keep an eye out until they’re formally activated. Gardner-Johnson is first eligible to return on Friday, Jan. 8, while Kamara must wait until Sunday, Jan. 10 to join his teammates again. These COVID-19 restrictions have been frustrating, but it’s necessary to prevent an unchecked spread of the coronavirus. With a possible Super Bowl berth just weeks away, the margin for error is just too thin to take things too lightly.
