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Marcel Louis-JacquesESPN
ORCHARD PARK, NY – The Buffalo Bills sent their rookies home from the team’s facilities Thursday in response to five positive tests for coronavirus this week, the team told ESPN in a statement.
A league source told ESPN that two players, including a rookie, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, and the team made the decision to hold the day’s meetings virtually.
The news was first reported by the NFL Network.
Under the NFL training camp’s mandate, players must register three negative tests within five days to enter the facility. Although the teams are not required to close their facilities for a positive test, the Bills decided to minimize the risk by sending players home for the day.
“As medical experts informed us when the training camp opened, we expected to have positive tests for COVID,” the team said in a statement to ESPN. “With 5 since the start of the trial period last Tuesday, we decided to take a disciplined, proactive and preventive approach to eliminate additional cases within our team.”
The Bills rookies first reported on July 21 that testing would begin. The rookie who tested positive on Thursday did so after registering three negative tests, a league source said.
A league source said the aforementioned rookie is asymptomatic; A positive player can be retested after five days if he remains asymptomatic during that time.
Untapped cornerback Ike Brown was the first Bills player to be placed on the team’s reserve / COVID-19 list on Monday, followed by defensive tackle Vincent Taylor and wide receiver Duke Williams on Wednesday.
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