The Chargers placed edge rusher Joey Bosa, center Corey Linsley and running back Austin Ekeler on the COVID-19 list (Twitter link via Daniel Popper of The Athletic). The Bolts will likely add more players to that list later Monday, which may leave them at less than full strength for Sunday’s game against the Texans.
Bosa was reported to be unvaccinated earlier this year. Unless he has received the vaccine in recent weeks, he’ll still be subject to the league’s 2020 protocols and held out of the next game. Even under the revised rules, unvaccinated players who test positive must remain in quaratine for a minimum of 10 days.
Bosa was briefly placed on the COVID-19 list back in November when he was ID’d as a high-risk close contact. After testing negative, he was cleared to face the Steelers in Week 11.
The 26-year-old is in the midst of another sensational season with 43 tackles, 9.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles. Needless to say, he’s well on his way to a third straight Pro Bowl selection, which would give him four for his young career. The Chargers have Bosa under contract for years to come thanks to the five-year, $135M mega-deal he inked in 2020.
Unfortunately, the Chargers will be without Bosa for at least a little while as they work to clinch a playoff berth. At 8-6, the Bolts have a 75% chance of making the cut, per Five Thirty Eight, plus an outside chance of catching the Chiefs for the divisional crown.
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