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SEATTLE -- The Seahawks have placed wide receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Alex Collins on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Thursday. Both players, who are vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday morning, sources told ESPN. They could be in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, but the NFL on Thursday relaxed the testing requirements to clear vaccinated people, potentially clearing Lockett and Collins for a faster return. The NFL has been hit with a major spike in COVID-19 cases around the league. The Rams had 16 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of Wednesday, including cornerback Jalen Ramsey and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. They placed nine more players on the list Thursday, including linebacker Von Miller. Carroll said Wednesday that all Seahawks players had tested negative earlier in the day, as was the case Monday. The team typically tests its players twice per week, once more than the NFL requires. "I was thrilled about that, with all that's going on around the league," Carroll said Wednesday. He added that they have been "doing everything we can think of" in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, including extra mask vigilance. "Our guys continue to manage their role," he said. "They're managing it with the conscious that helps them make the right decisions." Lockett leads the Seahawks with 62 catches and 1,023 receiving yards. On Sunday, he joined Steve Largent as the only players in franchise history to top 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons. Collins leads the team with 108 carries and 411 rushing yards. He had been the Seahawks' primary running back since Chris Carson suffered a season-ending neck injury in October but last week gave way to Rashaad Penny, who had the best game of his career with 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Texans. Carroll said Penny deserved the chance to remain in that role. Lockett told reporters during the offseason that he is vaccinated. He said in the summer of 2020 that he "had a lot of hesitation" about playing last season because of concerns about COVID-19. Those concerns, he said, were related to his preexisting heart abnormality and the fact that much of his family has asthma. The Seahawks, according to a source, have only two unvaccinated players. Collins and Lockett join tight end Gerald Everett as the only Seahawks to test positive for COVID-19 this season. Everett missed Weeks 4 and 5. Everett, who missed Weeks 4 and 5 with COVID-19, said he and several other Seahawks players re-tested Thursday morning as a precaution. A source said Lockett, who was among those players who re-tested, reported that he was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The Seahawks also listed DK Metcalf (foot/back), Dee Eskridge (foot) and Freddie Swain as non-participants for the second straight day, meaning none of their top four receivers practiced Thursday. The reason for Swain's absence was unclear based on the wording on the practice report: ankle, non-injury-related -- personal. Nine Seahawks in all were listed as non-participants Thursday, a list that also includes safety Quandre Diggs (knee), right tackle Brandon Shell (shoulder), right guard Gabe Jackson (knee) and defensive end Carlos Dunlap (quad). Linebackers coach John Glenn also was not seen early in practice. "I worry about those guys, Tyler and the receivers and everybody else who's on the staff that came back with the results," Everett said. "But it's definitely tough to deal with on the body and on the mental. But we're going to stay closely connected to those guys." Russell Wilson and several other players were wearing masks early in practice, as were Pete Carroll and most, if not all, of the team's coaches. "Anytime you don't have Tyler in there, it's always tough," said Wilson, who noted that he's received his COVID-19 booster shot. "You always want your guy in there, but we have tremendous receivers. Obviously, DK (Metcalf) is such a star and then we have so many guys that can step in. These guys practice their butts off every day." Carroll, who was not available to the media at large Thursday, told FOX 13-TV in Seattle that the Seahawks are now holding their team meetings virtually. ESPN's Dan Graziano and Lindsey Thiry contributed to this report.
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