Seahawks Lockett among pair on COVID-19 list

SEATTLE — The Seahawks have placed wide receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Alex Collins on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Thursday.

Both players, who are vaccinated tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday morning, sources told ESPN. They could be in jeopardy of missing Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, but the NFL on Thursday relaxed the testing requirements to clear vaccinated people, potentially clearing Lockett and Collins for a faster return.

The NFL has been hit with a major spike in COVID-19 cases around the league. The Rams have 16 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including cornerback Jalen Ramsey and receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Carroll said Wednesday that all Seahawks players had tested negative earlier in the day, as was the case Monday. The team tests its players twice per week, once more than the NFL requires.

“I was thrilled about that, with all that’s going on around the league,” Carroll said Wednesday. He added that they have been “doing everything we can think of” in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, including extra mask vigilance.

“Our guys continue to manage their role,” he said. “They’re managing it with the conscious that helps them make the right decisions.”

Lockett leads the Seahawks with 62 catches and 1,023 receiving yards. On Sunday, he joined Steve Largent as the only players in franchise history to top 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons.

Collins leads the team with 108 carries and 411 rushing yards. He had been the Seahawks’ primary running back since Chris Carson suffered a season-ending neck injury in October but last week gave way to Rashaad Penny, who had the best game of his career with 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Texans. Carroll said Penny deserved the chance to remain in that role.

Lockett told reporters during the offseason that he is vaccinated. He said in the summer of 2020 that he “had a lot of hesitation” about playing last season because of concerns about COVID-19. Those concerns, he said, were related to his preexisting heart abnormality and the fact that much of his family has asthma.

The Seahawks, according to a source, have only two unvaccinated players.

Collins and Lockett join tight end Gerald Everett as the only Seahawks to test positive for COVID-19 this season. Everett missed Weeks 4 and 5.

Information from ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Lindsey Thiry was used in this report.

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