Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett and Alex Collins placed on COVID-19 reserve list, joining growing list of players league-wide

The COVID-19 outbreak spreading through the NFL has finally caught up to the Seahawks as the team announced Thursday morning it has placed receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Alex Collins on the COVID-19 reserve list. The two players each were confirmed to have tested positive.

There had been 96 players placed on the list around the league from Monday through Wednesday, the highest three-day total in the last two seasons. But none had been Seahawks, and Seattle was one of six teams as of Wednesday afternoon not listed as having a player currently on the list.

The Seahawks have had only one other player on the list this year, tight end Gerald Everett, who missed two games in October.

Lockett and Collins have been confirmed as being vaccinated with Lockett having told reporters in June he had gotten vaccinated, saying while he didn’t want to tell teammates what to do “I made the best decision that was right for me and my family. And so I ended up getting it. But all I can do is just tell them what I know and tell them why I decided to get it. But I can’t force somebody what they want to do with their life.’’

Seattle plays Sunday at 1:25 p.m. against the Rams in Los Angeles.

And under new protocols announced by the NFL Thursday, each could still play against the Rams.

Previously, players who were asymptomatic and vaccinated needed negative tests at least 24 hours apart to be able to play, but with the tests coming before game day.

Under protocols announced Thursday, vaccinated players who are asymptomatic can return to team activities with as few as one negative test plus a negative rapid-result test.

Or, as NFL.com – the league’s official media arm – put it: “The NFL provided three testing options for a fully vaccinated individual to return provided he or she is asymptomatic for at least 24 hours. In the updated protocols, an individual’s return from quarantine is possible as soon as the day after his or her initial positive test.” An NFL spokesman confirmed that the new guidelines would apply to Lockett and Collins, potentially making it easier for them to get cleared to play Sunday.

The Seahawks will not leave for Los Angeles until Saturday, as is custom for games against teams in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. The NFL clarified Thursday the players would have to be cleared by the day before the game to be able to play, meaning Saturday at 1 p.m. for Lockett and Collins.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said he had talked to Lockett and that “he’s feeling pretty good.”

Asked if there is potential for Lockett to play Sunday, Wilson said: “I’m hoping that there is potential, but who knows, we will see.”

The potential loss of Lockett for Sunday’s game – pivotal to Seattle’s chances of making the playoffs – would be big on its own. But Seattle is also facing injury issues to its other three top receivers. DK Metcalf sat out practice Wednesday with a long-standing foot injury as well as a back injury while Freddie Swain was out with an ankle injury and Dee Eskridge a foot injury. All were listed as out of practice on Wednesday. It was not clear how significant the injuries are.

Everett, intriguingly, seemed to hint that more than just Lockett and Collins may have been impacted.

“I worry about those guys, Tyler and the receivers, everybody else who’s on the staff that came back with the results,” Everett said. “It’s definitely something tough to deal with on the body and on the mental. We’re going to stay closely connected to those guys.”

The NFL also announced that through Monday all teams must enter new intensive protocols that include all meetings being conducted virtually and restrictions on outside activities.

Lockett, who was seen during Wednesday’s practice wearing a mask, is the team’s leading receiver with 62 catches for 1,023 yards and on Sunday became only the second player in team history to go over the 1,000-yard mark in three straight seasons other than Steve Largent, who did it twice.

Collins is Seattle’s leading rusher with 411 yards on 108 carries but has battled an abdomen injury of late and was the backup to Rashaad Penny for Sunday’s 33-13 win at Houston.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said when he met the media before Wednesday’s practice the team had not had any positive tests to that point – Seattle tests players on Monday and Wednesday.

Carroll on Wednesday said the team could have tested just on Monday but stuck with its two-tests-a-week plan.

“We had a choice this week with all that is going on, what if we test Wednesday and all of a sudden someone pops and can’t play in the game,” he said. “We went right back to the philosophy and the character that stands behind the decision making that we would be better off if we found out that somebody was positive on this Wednesday, that would help us Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and until the Monday exposure. That could help our guys stay safe better, if we tested again like we had been as opposed to let’s not do it and not be tapped going into the game. Fortunately, that’s why there was a decision to be made there and that’s why I’m uplifted by the way we’ve done it and continue to do it.”

Sunday’s opponent, the Rams, had 16 players on the list as of Wednesday including notable starters such as receiver Odell Beckham Jr., running back Darrell Henderson and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

The outbreak caused the Rams to close their facility earlier this week and go into the NFL’s intensive protocols, meaning doing basically everything virtually other than practices.

Carroll said this week the Seahawks would further emphasize their COVID-19 protocols, including the wearing of masks and social distancing.

On Wednesday, Carroll said he was proud of his team for continuing to largely avoid placing anyone on the list, while acknowledging that “it’s a big challenge. And we aren’t doing it perfectly, we are struggling with it too, like everybody else is.”

Under the new protocols, the Seahawks began holding meetings again virtually on Thursday. The return to the intensive protocols also means, mandatory mask-wearing in team facilities, social distancing, grab-and-go meal service in team cafeterias and no more than 15 people allowed in a weight room at a time.

Everett said many players decided on Thursday to get re-tested.

“We’re trying to do everything the best way we can,” Everett said. “Even today, we adapted to a couple of positive tests. Everybody’s just going to retest and doing everything we can. Just trying to be the best we can be, and now we’re about to transition to practice. We’ll see how that goes.”

Wilson, meanwhile, said he tests himself at home regularly.

“Obviously, we test here and then we test at the house all of the time, constantly,” said Wilson. “It’s pretty much every day at our house, anybody that has come near or gone anywhere. It’s one of those things that has been part of our lifestyle, it’s changed all of our lives in so many ways. I pray that every day we can get better and find ways to keep each other safe. I think it’s super important that we all wear our masks as much as possible, stay away from people as much as possible, but at the same time, know that everybody has family members and loved ones. Some are elderly, some are young, some have asthma, may have had cancer, different circumstances, so people’s lives are on the line. We have to protect everybody as much as possible.”