Vikings place CB Cameron Dantzler on COVID-19 list

UPDATE: Dantzler has confirmed that he is fully vaccinated, so he could be back for Sunday’s game against Detroit.

Original story follows.

To say that the 2021 season has been up-and-down for Minnesota Vikings’ cornerback Cameron Dantzler. He’s gone from being a healthy scratch in the season opener to venting his frustration following the team’s victory over Seattle to actually playing most of the game against Cleveland on Sunday after Bashaud Breeland exited with an illness. On Monday, however, the second-year corner got some more bad news.

The Vikings have announced that Dantzler has been placed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list, and numerous sources have reported that he did test positive for the virus as opposed to merely being a close contact.

At this point, it’s unclear what this means for Dantzler’s status for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. A vaccinated player that is asymptomatic can return to the team if they produce two negative tests within 24 hours. If Dantzler is not vaccinated, he will have to be isolated for ten days. Dantzler’s vaccination status, at this time, is unknown. Well, it’s unknown to me, anyway, and I’ve yet to see anyone on social media report his status one way or another. So, we’ll have to wait to find out.

If Dantzler does have to miss any time, the Vikings will likely have to elevate someone from the practice squad. The team has two corners on the practice squad in Parry Nickerson and Tye Smith. Nickerson has been “elevated” from the practice squad twice already this year, so the only way that they could do so again without signing him to the 53-man roster would be as a COVID replacement. Smith has not been elevated to the roster yet this season.

Once again, Vikings’ cornerback Cameron Dantzler has been placed on the Vikings’ reserve/COVID-19 list. If anything further develops, we will let you know.