Bengals’ guard Jackson Carman tests positive COVID-19 and here’s what it means

Cincinnati Bengals second-year guard Jackson Carman tested positive for COVID-19, according to head coach Zac Taylor.

Carman can’t return to his team until he either turns in two negative tests on back-to-back days and if he is unable to do that, he’s not allowed around the facility for five days.

There is a scenario in which Carman could make the trip to New Jersey with the rest of the team if he turns in a negative test on Friday and Saturday morning. If he doesn’t test negative on Friday, there’s no chance he plays in Cincinnati’s second preseason game against the Giants on Aug. 21 at MetLife Stadium.

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This means rookie Cordell Volson, who has already leaped Carman for the starting job this week in practice, will get a bulk of the reps in the game. The Bengals are still trying to figure out who will win the starting left guard job and Carman not being able to compete would hurt his chances in the battle. The fewer game reps Carman gets, the less offensive line coach Frank Pollack and Taylor can evaluate him.

Carman’s start to his NFL career has been anything but steady. The former second-round pick arrived in Cincinnati with high expectations and hasn’t quite lived up to them. After showing up to training camp overweight and out of shape, he quickly fell down the Bengals’ depth chart during training camp. By the end of the season, Carman was progressing better, and he saw game snaps which gave a glimpse of what he could be for the Bengals.

He entered training camp as the No. 1 option at left guard and was expected to win the job. Volson is pushing but the decision is far from over after one preseason game. The hope is Carman returns from COVID-19 without any major setbacks and he and Volson can battle it out for one more week.

Volson, a fourth-round pick out of North Dakota State this year, is still a work in process but the Bengals’ coaching staff likes the effort he plays with.

“Rookie in his first game,” Taylor said of Volson following the first preseason game. “Up and down. He plays hard. There’s no question there. He’s got to be more of a technician. Play faster with his hands and feet. Typical first game stuff.”

Look for Trey Hill to see a significant amount of time in Sunday’s game as well as Pollack said the team has been pleased with his performance at guard so far this training camp.

Hill, a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, played in 17 games (three starts) and saw 210 snaps on offense as a rookie between the regular season and playoffs. He mostly was viewed as a backup center and switched to guard this offseason.

Carman, barring any setbacks, will be able to return for the Bengals’ upcoming joint practices against the Rams next week to wrap up the preseason. The scrimmages are looked to be a vital part of the evaluation process for both Los Angeles and Cincinnati’s coaching staffs because it’s expected to be a controlled environment.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Jackson Carman tests positive for COVID, might miss Giants game