ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Football Team placed two more key players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, adding to a growing list as they fight to stay in the playoff race.
Washington placed corner Kendall Fuller and reserve defensive tackle Tim Settle on the COVID list Tuesday, joining eight other players. The WFT placed Jon Allen on the list Monday. It also has defensive ends Montez Sweat, James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill on the list.
Fuller, who is unvaccinated, will miss Sunday’s game at Philadelphia. Both teams are 6-7; Washington currently holds the seventh and final playoff spot with four games remaining. Because Settle is vaccinated, he has a chance to play if he tests negative twice in a 48-hour span and has no symptoms. A source close to Settle said he did not have any symptoms, though he did test positive.
Fuller has been a key part of Washington’s play in the secondary during the second half of the season with strong play vs. the run and the pass. Settle’s importance grew once Allen was placed on the list. Settle is Washington’s fourth defensive tackle and would see his snaps increase dramatically without Allen.
Washington also likes to use a five-man front vs. teams that like to run, such as Philadelphia. Losing Settle and Allen could impact those plans.
It’s also possible that Allen returns if he, too, tests negative twice in 48 hours and has no symptoms. Smith-Williams and Toohill also could return this week. They tested positive Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Without Fuller, Washington will be thin at corner. It helps that they play a lot of three-safety alignments — and would do so against the Eagles because of their run dominance. To replace Fuller, they have Danny Johnson, who has played in the slot, and veteran Darryl Roberts, whom they activated off the COVID list Tuesday.