GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers likely will have to face the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals without 2020 All-Pro receiver Davante Adams and defensive coordinator Joe Barry.
General manager Brian Gutekunst announced Monday afternoon that the team has placed Adams on the reserve/COVID-19 list. That announcement came just over an hour after coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Barry had tested positive.
LaFleur said that Barry is fully vaccinated and therefore possibly could join the Packers (6-1) for Thursday night’s game if he tested negative Tuesday and Wednesday.
“But I’m not going to hold my breath on that,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur spoke to reporters before the announcement regarding Adams, who is tied for second in the NFL in catches (73) and is third in yards receiving (744). He did say there were “potentially some other issues with staff.”
The reserve/COVID-19 list is for players who either test positive or have close contact with someone who's infected.
LaFleur said the Packers are in advanced protocols and conducted all of Monday’s coaches meetings virtually. LaFleur said all team personnel have to wear masks while in the building, whether or not they’re vaccinated.
The Packers are working through which assistant will be responsible for calling defensive plays Thursday if Barry’s unavailable. One candidate could be defensive backs coach Jerry Gray, who has been a defensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills (2001-05) and Tennessee Titans (2011-13).
“I think regardless of how we do it, it’ll be a collective effort with everybody involved and having an input,” LaFleur said. “But certainly you feel confident with a guy like Jerry, who’s called it before and has had a top-five defense in this league. So we definitely have people that we feel are capable of getting the job done.”
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