Packers add Rodgers & Yiadom to COVID list, sign two players to practice squad

The Packers are adding some depth at running back and defensive line.

This afternoon, the Green Bay Packers made official the major roster transaction that has had the NFL buzzing all Wednesday. Aaron Rodgers is now officially on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of 4:00 PM Eastern, but he was joined by another teammate, cornerback Isaac Yiadom.

Yiadom, like Rodgers, was not in attendance for the Packers’ practice on Wednesday. There is no word as yet whether he is an unvaccinated close contact or a vaccinated positive test. These two players join Davante Adams on the list, while quarterback Kurt Benkert is officially on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.

With Yiadom likely unavailable for Sunday’s game, the Packers will need to find a way to fill in for the significant special teams snaps he has played this season. Green Bay could elect to elevate fellow cornerback Kabion Ento from the practice squad to fill that role, or they could use a wide receiver such as Chris Blair or Juwann Winfree in a similar gunner role.

Speaking of the practice squad, the Packers had two open spots on that unit on Wednesday and elected to fill them with a defensive lineman and a running back. Auzoyah Alufohai is the lineman, a 313-pound player from the University of West Georgia. Alufohai played in three games for the Houston Texans last season, recording one solo tackle in 85 total snaps (66 on defense).

Joining him on the practice squad is former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Ryquell Armstead. A fifth-round draft pick in 2019 out of Temple, Armstead played in all 16 games as a rookie, totaling 108 rushing yards on 35 carries and adding 144 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 14 pass receptions. However, Armstead missed the entire 2020 season due to complications from COVID-19. He spent a few weeks on the reserve/COVID-19 list in the 2020 preseason, then went back on the Jaguars’ COVID list in September after being hospitalized twice. Armstead appeared to be a potential starter or at least a major part of the offense for Jacksonville before his bout with COVID.

Armstead’s appearance on the list is likely an effort to fill the gap vacated by Kylin Hill’s injury. The Packers’ rookie running back will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL last week in Arizona, which will likely result in Patrick Taylor being elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster for the coming games.