Mike Burton tests positive for Covid-19, Saints scrambling to test

Fullback Michael Burton has tested positive for Covid-19, and the Saints are now scrambling to test players ahead of their 1:00 pm EST kickoff.

One of the few teams to still consistently use a fullback, the Saints have kept Michael Burton as a crucial part of the offense.

He’s been used as a blocker and seldomly as a runner or receiver. Well, for their matchup with the Lions on Sunday, he’ll be inactive as he’s received a positive test for coronavirus. Multiple reports came through of Burton’s positive test.

What’s even more terrifying is that the Saints are scrambling to test players, and aside from the game, no one ever wants to see players resting positive for the virus. As far as the game does go, the Saints are already down six starters.

Players like Jared Cook, Andrus Peat, Marshon Lattimore, and several other elite starters will be sidelined with injuries. That said, to make matters worse, Alvin Kamara may have been one of the players around Burton before knowing of his positive result.

Losing Kamara along with Burton would be absolutely brutal.

It’d be tough to get anything going in the backfield as Latavius Murray has struggled at times this season. Burton isn’t a critical part of the Saints’ gameplan, but in the 30 snaps he’s played in, they’ve seen high-level success.

The Saints game, as of now, is still a go.

It’ll be interesting if it stays that way as Burton could’ve easily passed the virus on to his teammates, one reason the team is scrambling to test their personnel. They need to make sure everyone is virus-free in order to play.

The rest of the league as teams like Tennessee and New England are also dealing with positive cases. As of now, it seems like Burton is likely quarantining by himself, but he will be retested and potentially allowed to join the team if it tests negative.