Coronavirus: 49ers have nine on COVID-19 reserve list with D.J. Jones, Jordan Willis additions
SANTA CLARA – Make that a season-high nine, yes, nine 49ers on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list.
Defensive linemen D.J. Jones and Jordan Willis were added to that roll call Monday, after seven players preceded them there last week.
Also Monday, the 49ers waived linebacker Kiko Alonso with a failed physical. Acquired in a trade earlier this month with the New Orleans Saints, Alonso has not played this season because of a January knee injury.
Last Monday, defensive lineman Arik Armstead started this wave of COVID-19 reserve players, followed by defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, center Hroniss Grasu, linebacker Joe Walker, left tackle Trent Williams, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end Daniel Helm.
Only Williams has announced that he tested positive, telling ESPN’s Dan Graziano he feels fine. All nine players’ availability is unknown for Sunday’s game at the Rams.
Williams is a cancer survivor and therefore in a high-risk category, but he told me he was feeling OK and expected to be fine. Still must clear some hurdles if he's to play this week, depending on when he tested positive and whether he had/has symptoms.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) November 24, 2020
This month has been the 49ers’ most chaotic in terms of COVID-19. Once wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive Nov. 4, three teammates – Williams, Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel – joined him on the COVID-19 reserve list and all had to miss a Nov. 5 loss to Green Bay. All four players subsequently tested negative that week, although Bourne went back on COVID-19 reserve Nov. 9 after another positive test.
As for Alonso’s case, the Los Gatos High product never practiced with the 49ers since arriving in the Nov. 2 deal for linebacker Kwon Alexander and a conditional fifth-round draft pick.