The list of players on the New Orleans Saints‘ reserve/COVID-19 list continues to grow ahead of a Week 16 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
On Thursday, the team announced that star safety Malcolm Jenkins was bound for the reserve/COVID-19 list, according to Nick Underhill. The 34-year-old was one of nine additions the Saints made to the list today.
Jenkins is perhaps the biggest loss of them all. The three-time Pro Bowl and two-time Super Bowl champ is one of New Orleans’ best defenders and in the midst of another strong year.
But, his status for Monday’s game is now in doubt.
Malcolm Jenkins was placed on the COVID-19 list
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) December 23, 2021
Jenkins is in the middle of his 13th year in the NFL and his seventh with the Saints. New Orleans has struggled to stay healthy this season, but the veteran safety has been a steadying force for the defense throughout the campaign.
In 14 games this year, Jenkins has made 68 tackles, defended five passes and come up with one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
Jenkins was one of nine Saints to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Most notably, New Orleans announced that its top two available quarterbacks, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian landed on the list.
That leaves rookie quarterback Ian Book as the presumptive starter, four days away from kickoff.
Saints players placed on Reserve/COVID today:
🏈QB Taysom Hill
🏈QB Trevor Siemian
🏈S Malcolm Jenkins
🏈OL Jordan Mills
🏈DT Christian Ringo
🏈DE Jalyn Holmes
🏈S Jeff Heath
🏈LB Kaden Elliss
🏈OL James Carpenter— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 23, 2021
A COVID-19 outbreak couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Saints. New Orleans (7-7) is right in the thick of the NFC playoff race, making each and every game extremely important from here on out.
Nevertheless, the Saints will almost certainly be short-handed for this Monday’s game against the Dolphins. Time will tell what effort, and what roster, the team is able to muster up by the time kickoff rolls around.
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