Eagles safety Marcus Epps tests positive for coronavirus during team’s bye week

The Eagles had one player test positive for the coronavirus, according to a team statement released Thursday afternoon. A league source confirmed an NFL Network report that identified the player as safety Marcus Epps, who is said to be asymptomatic.

Epps, 24, tested positive on Wednesday. The Eagles' statement said the player “immediately went into self-isolation” and the team would be “following protocols and are in close contact with the league.”

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Since the Eagles are on their bye week, the positive test won’t affect much of the team’s daily operations. Eagles coach Doug Pederson said earlier this week that he planned to have players at the practice facility on Wednesday, but it’s not clear to what extent. Unlike in normal seasons, Eagles players had to remain close to the facility during the bye week to continue their daily testing.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Vikings in 2019, Epps was claimed on waivers by the Eagles last year. He has played in seven games this season.

Epps is the first Eagles player to test positive for COVID-19 since the start of the season. Lane Johnson and Nate Gerry both came down with the virus during training camp, and Pederson had it in August as well. Matt Pryor was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list in October and missed one game, but the guard was on the list because of close contact with someone who had tested positive and was not sick himself.