TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers starting left tackle Donovan Smith has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will not play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
“I had a close contact with a family member who recently tested positive for COVID-19,” Smith said in a statement issued by the team. “As per the NFL’s new intensive protocols, I am now in a self-quarantine. … I wish I could be out there with my guys for this important game, but I understand and respect the protocols that have been put in place for the safety of our players, coaches and staff.”
Starting running back Ronald Jones, who underwent surgery to repair a broken pinkie Tuesday, was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. The only way he could be eligible to participate, per NFL rules, is if he somehow registered a false positive. The NFL does not distinguish publicly between positive tests and close contacts.
The Bucs were able to activate kicker Ryan Succop, long snapper Zach Triner and punter Bradley Pinion from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday due to false positives, a source told ESPN. Although false positives have been rare this season, there was an issue earlier in the year at BioReference Laboratories in New Jersey, which returned 77 positives on Aug. 22 — all of which, upon further testing, were determined to be false positives. The Bucs do not use that laboratory location.
Per NFL rules, close contacts would need a minimum of five days of negative tests before returning, with positive tests needing a minimum of 10.