NY Jets place two rookies on the COVID-19 reserve list

The NY Jets have placed rookies Bryce Hall and Shyheim Carter on the COVID-19 reserve list.

The NY Jets are gearing up for the start of the 2020 NFL season with training camp set to begin shortly. However, the team had some unfortunate news to announce on Tuesday.

With growing concerns regarding the safety of play in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, backup offensive lineman Leo Koloamatangi became the first Jets player to officially opt-out of the 2020 season.

Koloamatangi joins a list of over 20 other NFL players to have opted-out of the upcoming season due to COVID-19-related concerns. Players will have until August 1st to opt-out and so far Koloamatangi is the only Jets player to make that decision.

However, his opt-out wasn’t the only illness-related news dealing with the Jets on Tuesday as the club announced that they had placed two players on the COVID-19 reserve list.

Rookie defensive backs Bryce Hall and Shyheim Carter are among a number of players who find themselves on the list as reported by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Now, this list doesn’t necessarily mean that they have tested positive for the disease. However, it could mean that they have been exposed and the team is playing it safe allowing the players to quarantine.

Think of it as a precautionary measure.

Both Bryce Hall and Shyheim Carter are expected to compete for playing time with the NY Jets in training camp.

Hall was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and fell due to injury concerns stemming from an ankle injury in his senior season. That being said, he was considered a Day-2 lock provided his medicals checked out which it seems they have.

It’s likey that Hall will compete for playing time at cornerback this season perhaps even pushing for a starting spot. But to do so, he’ll need to stay healthy in a season where doing so for a full 16-game slate might prove difficult.

Meanwhile, Carter is an undrafted free agent the Jets signed out of Alabama shortly following the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Carter was a standout special-teamer for the Crimson Tide and was expected to compete for a roster spot as a backup safety. Given his special-teams prowess and versatility, he likely stands a good chance too.

However, their debuts with the team will be put on hold for the time being. The NFL has not announced how long a player must remain on the list, but it will likely be for at least a week or two.

Again, this doesn’t mean that they have tested positive (although that is a possibility). But it does mean that they have either tested positive or come in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

Here’s to wishing the best for the health of both Hall and Carter and that we see them on the field again before long.