The New England Patriots had a serious Coronavirus outbreak in early October, but since then the pandemic only sporadically impacted the organization. With two players now sent to the NFL’s Reserve/Covid-19 list within 24 hours, however, the team is now faced with a situation worth keeping a close eye on.
The first was defensive tackle Isaiah Mack, who was moved to the reserve list from the practice squad on Friday. One day later, tight end Jordan Thomas joined him — becoming the first member of New England’s active roster to find himself on Reserve/Covid-19 since offensive lineman James Ferentz was removed off the list in late October.
Thomas first arrived in New England after the team’s Coronavirus outbreak had already been contained, getting claimed off waivers in mid-November. Since then, he has served merely as a depth option at tight end behind Ryan Izzo as well as rookies Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene. In this role, Thomas appeared in two games and played just seven snaps on offense and eight more in the kicking game.
Heading into the Patriots’ upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills, the 24-year-old popped up on the practice report for non-injury related reasons. He later was officially ruled out of the contest, before being moved off the 53-man squad and onto the Coronavirus reserve list.
As is the case with Isaiah Mack, Thomas being moved there is not a confirmation that he has tested positive for Covid-19. He merely could have been classified as a close contact and isolated as a safety measure. That said, the development is still a noteworthy one just two days before New England is set to face off against the Bills on Monday Night Football.