Clayton: As other teams reel from COVID positives, Broncos in good shape

One of the scary parts of the start of training camp this year is the staggering number players going on the COVID-19 list.

Up until Thursday afternoon, 64 players have gone on there so far. On Wednesday, 15 went on the list. On Thursday, there were 24. In two days, it was estimated all but two were because of positive tests.

That’s where the Broncos have been in good shape. By mid-July, roughly 95 percent of the team had their vaccinations. Two cornerbacks made it on the list – Jamar Johnson and Kary Vincent – but overall the Broncos are in good shape.

The NFL has enhanced the penalties for teams and players who aren’t getting vaccinations. Any breakout that would cancel a game would lead to a forfeit and lost paychecks for both teams. If you look at the start of camp, you can see there have been some breakouts even though we don’t know if those involved vaccinated players or unvaccinated players. The Arizona Cardinals have nine players on the COVID-19 list as of Thursday, including six who were added on Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons have five. Washington and the Indianapolis Colts has four, and the Colts are adding tackle Julian Davenport on Friday. The list is extensive.

Plus, there are big-name players on the list. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is on the COVID-19 list. Good defensive players, such as Bud Dupree and Xavier Rhodes, are also popping up. The Cardinals have three starting offensive linemen on the list.

You have to watch for teams like Washington and Indianapolis because they are low on the list of vaccinations. They are slightly more than 60 percent. Washington put three on the list on Thursday. Fortunately, the NFL’s hard stance seems to make a push to get more players vaccinated. The league-wide average is going above 90 percent. The Seattle Seahawks have 90 of 91 players vaccinated.

At least the Broncos have to feel good where they stand.

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