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Packers place backup QB Jordan Love on reserve/COVID-19 list

The Green Bay Packers announced on Monday that they've placed quarterback Jordan Love on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Love is Aaron Rodgers' backup and made his first NFL start in Week 9 when Rodgers was out after testing positive for COVID-19. That positive test exposed Rodgers' status as unvaccinated, which he'd tried to keep hidden during the season. Love told reporters before his first start that he's fully vaccinated.

Teams don't comment on a player's individual COVID status, so we don't officially know if Love tested positive. However, because Love is fully vaccinated, it's overwhelmingly likely that he tested positive. Vaccinated players only go on the COVID list if they test positive, while unvaccinated players are required to go on the list if they're a close contact of someone who tested positive.

Could we see Kurt Benkert in a game?

In order to return to action Love needs to be asymptomatic and return two negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart, so it will be at least a few days until he can be back with the team. Normally that wouldn't cause that much of a shift for the Packers, but Rodgers' toe is now a factor.

Rodgers has been nursing a painfully injured toe since the middle of November and might not be able to practice this week. Love would have taken those QB1 reps at practice, but now he's out. That means the duties will fall to third-string QB Kurt Benkert if Rodgers isn't able to practice.

It's possible that Rodgers' toe will cooperate and Love will be back with time to spare, but the Packers are obviously prepared if things go sideways. If Love isn't able to get back in time for Sunday's game against the Bears, Benkert will almost certainly be Rodgers' backup. If Rodgers' toe gets so bad that he's not able to play, it could be Benkert we see filling in for him on the field.