This is an interesting comment. The “whistleblower” may have protection but his/her sources will not. They are effectively leakers because information ended up in the NYT/WP before Trump had to declassify. Prosecute them!
It's even better. The whistleblower gets protection by statutory law. If the complaint is not inside the statutory framework, the DNI and ICIG cannot give the protection that is inside the whistleblower framework.
This complaint has already been formally testined by the legal authority, the DOJ, and found to be outside of whistleblower jurisdiction.
Not even the whistelblower is entitled to protection. They will likely litigate that if charged, and who knows what a judge will rule. This would be a good trial case.