The @Jaguars have placed DE/OLB Josh Allen, WR Laviska Shenault Jr. and OL Ben Bartch on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced today.
— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) December 24, 2021
On Thursday, it was announced that the New York Jets were dealing with a number of players out with COVID-19, including starters Alijah Vera-Tucker and Elijah Moore as well as head coach Robert Saleh. However, it seems the Jets won’t be the only team with COVID issues during Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.
The Jaguars announced on Friday that three key contributors had been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list: edge rusher Josh Allen, receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. and right guard Ben Bartch. These are all losses the Jags’ really can’t afford, especially the latter two.
Allen is reportedly unvaccinated, meaning he will not play as he must wait 10 days to return, per NFL protocol. With him out, it will likely mean more reps for second-year player K’Lavon Chaisson, who has mostly been a disappointment this season and has only seen a rep rate of 50% or more once this season (Week 5). The Jags could also activate rookie Jordan Smith for the first time this season.
The vaccination statuses of Shenault and Bartch aren’t clear, but if they are vaccinated, they could theoretically play on Sunday if they are able to test negative twice in a 24-hour period leading up to the game. If they are not able to go, Jacksonville’s receiving depth would be tested even further and likely lead to more playing time for Tavon Austin and Jaydon Mickens. Meanwhile, if Bartch can’t play, Will Richardson is likely to get the start.
This game is likely the Jags’ last winnable game of the season, and the stakes are high, as a win would move the team from the first overall pick to the fourth in the 2022 NFL Draft. Both teams could be very shorthanded, and considering we saw several games postponed last week due to COVID-19, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see that again here.
