The New Orleans Saints will be without cornerback KeiVarae Russell, who signed with the team early in training camp after a successful free agent workout. He will go on the COVID-19 reserve list after testing positive, Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. It’s unclear whether Russell was vaccinated or if he asymptomatic; either way, he’ll have to stay away from the team for at least 10 days.
The cornerbacks group is rapidly thinning out. Prince Amukamara was released after the Saints’ first preseason game, not long after Patrick Robinson unexpectedly retired from the NFL. Adonis Alexander, signed after a group workout with Amukamara and Russell, has missed several practices with an injury.
So that leaves Marshon Lattimore as the team’s only locked-in starter at cornerback. Ken Crawley has had a surprisingly strong summer and is the favorite to start across from him, though rookie draft pick Paulson Adebo has rapidly gained ground. Beyond those three, the only other healthy corners on the roster are Grant Haley, Brian Poole, and undrafted rookie Lawrence Woods, who the team waived once already. Defensive back P.J. Williams has mostly played safety in camp this year and only recently returned to practice.
Here’s to a quick recovery for Russell. In the meantime, the Saints should continue to look into all options for adding another cornerback, whether that means scouring the waiver wire or calling other teams about a trade. It’s tough to feel too confident about the group as things currently stand.
