Minor NFL Transactions: 1/1/22
The first minor moves of 2022:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: LB Tanner Vallejo
- Promoted: DL Josh Mauro, CB Kevin Peterson, TE David Wells, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: TE Parker Hesse, WR Austin Trammell, DB Luther Kirk, DB Lafayette Pitts, DE Nick Thurman
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: OT David Sharpe, DB Robert Jackson, DB Tony Jefferson, T Jayrd Jones-Smith
- Placed on IR: OLB Daelin Hayes
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Eli Ankou
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: DE Austin Larkin, RB Spencer Brown, CB Madre Harper, OL Mike Horton, TE Stephen Sullivan, TE Colin Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: CB John Brannon, QB Jake Browning, WR Trent Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: WR Noah Brown
- Promoted: S Darian Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: OLB Andre Mintze
- Promoted: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, T Quinn Bailey, T Drew Himmelman, DE Marquiss Spencer, DE Jonathan Harris, LB Barrington Wade, WR Rico Gafford, CB Rojesterman Farris, RB Damarea Crockett, WR Seth Williams, WR Travis Fulgham
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, G Parker Ehinger, DE Bruce Hector, WR Javon McKinley, TE Ross Travis
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: DL Abdullah Anderson, WR David Moore
Houston Texas
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, OT Jordan Steckler, CB Cre’Von LeBlanc, RB Jaylen Samuels, WR Jordan Veasy, DT Michael Dwumfour, LB Josh Watson
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: LS Kyle Nelson, CB Will Redmond, QB Brett Hundley, DT Chris Williams
- Released: T Greg Senat, C Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: CB Lorenzo Burns, DT Doug Costin, WR Jeff Cotton, RB Nathan Cottrell, OL D.J. Fluker, DB Michael Jacquet, S Bradley McDougald, OL Badara Traore, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from IR: RB Jerick McKinnon
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: S Jordan Brown, C Hroniss Grasu, WR Tyron Johnson, DT Damion Square
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB Cole Christiansen, TE Hunter Kampmoyer
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR J.J. Koski
- Promoted: CB Grant Haley, WR Brandon Powell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: LB Brennan Scarlett
- Promoted: WR Kirk Merritt, C Cameron Tom, DB Chris Milton
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DT T.Y. McGill, DE Eddie Yarbrough, S Myles Dorn, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DL Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross, WR Kristian Wilkerson
- Reverted from Designated to Return back to IR: LB Harvey Langi
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Kawaan Baker, C Will Clapp, G Forrest Lamp, DB Bryce Thompson
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, DT Woodrow Hamilton, WR Pharoh Cooper, OT Derrick Kelly, DT David Moa, WR David Sills
New York Jets
- Promoted: DL Ronnie Blair, TE Dan Brown, CB Lamar Jackson, WR D.J. Montgomery
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DE Cameron Malveaux, LB JaCoby Stevens
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Tegray Scales (from Bengals’ practice squad)
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: TE Tanner Hudson, LB Mark Nzeocha, LB Curtis Robinson
- Released: RB Brian Hill
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: OT Jamaro Jones
- Promoted: CB Michael Jackson, S Josh Jones, LB Edmond Robinson
- Placed on IR: OLB Jon Rhattigan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, WR, Cyril Grayson, P Sterling Hofrichter, LB Elijah Ponder
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: DE William Bradley-King, LB De’Jon Harris, CB D.J. Hayden, S Jeremy Reaves, RB Wendell Smallwood, G Deion Calhoun, P Ryan Winslow
- Released: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22
Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Brandon Copeland, QB Feleipe Franks, S Richie Grant
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Mazzi Wilkins
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Brian Burns, DE Marquis Haynes, LB Shaq Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Brandon Allen, LB Germaine Pratt
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Scotty Washington
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Simi Fehoko
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: T Aviante Collins
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Andre Mintze
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DE Jonathan Harris
Detroit Lions
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Steven Montez
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Corey Bojorquez, G Ben Braden, LB Oren Burks, TE Tyler Davis, TE Marcedes Lewis, LB Ty Summers (remains on IR)
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DL R.J. McIntosh
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Carson Wentz, CB T.J. Carrie, T Braden Smith
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: CB Chris Wilcox
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Malcom Brown, DT DaVon Hamilton, TE Chris Manhertz, OL Andrew Norwell, DL Jihad Ward
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Dawuane Smoot
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Denzel Perryman, CB Casey Hayward, LB Cory Littleton, DT Darius Philon
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Nasir Adderly, S Alohi Gilman, CB Chris Harris Jr., CB Davontae Harris, K Dustin Hopkins, T Storm Norton, LS Matt Overton, T Trey Pipkins III
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Adam Butler, S Brandon Jones
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Noah Igbinoghene, S Sheldrick Redwine
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Matt Judon, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB Brandon King, QB Brian Hoyer, DE Josh Uche
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Marcus Williams, C Erik McCoy
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DT Malcolm Roach
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Julian Love
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Dante Pettis
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Derek Barnett
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR KeeSean Johnson, CB Craig James
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Isaiah Buggs
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Mitch Wishnowsky
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Sidney Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jamel Dean, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Bud Dupree, DL Denico Autry, CB Buster Skrine
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Cody Hollister
Saints’ OT Armstead Will Need Offseason Surgery
In their first matchup against the Buccaneers on Halloween, Saints’ offensive tackle Terron Armstead suffered a knee injury. While the knee has bothered him and caused him to miss some time this season, a tweet from Saints’ reporter Nick Underhill unveils the bigger story on the injury.
Underhill reports that Armstead’s knee injury will require surgery to repair. Armstead is able to play through the injury and has chosen to do so, but the surgery is going to be necessary for him to get back to 100%.
The implication here is that the surgery was serious enough to have prevented him from playing for the rest of the year. Armstead made the choice to put the surgery off until the offseason with the hopes of helping his team push towards the postseason.
Armstead provides an example of a player putting the success of his team over his own goals. This is accentuated by the fact that this is a contract-year for Armstead. In a time where Armstead could be looking out for himself and getting healthy to prepare for an offseason of free agency, Armstead has chosen to play through his injury for as long as he can continue to contribute.
The Saints currently sit at (7-8), good for 10th in the NFC, but have not yet been eliminated from playoff contention. They sit one game back of the current 6th and 7th seeds of the NFC, the 49ers (8-7) and the Eagles (8-7), with two weeks left in the season. New Orleans finishes the season against the Panthers at home and the Falcons on the road as they attempt to keep themselves alive for some football past January 9th.
Colts’ Wentz Expected To Start
The Colts announced in a tweet this afternoon that they have activated quarterback Carson Wentz from the reserve/COVID-19 list, a move that needed to happen by 4:00PM today in order for him to play tomorrow. He won’t be officially cleared to play until Sunday morning, but the expectation is that he will be available to start a crucial game against the Raiders tomorrow afternoon.
Indianapolis currently sits at (9-6), which is good for 2nd in the AFC South behind the Titans (10-5). While the division would be out of reach for the Colts if the Titans win either of their final two games (vs Dolphins, @ Texans), the Colts have the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with a win tomorrow. The win won’t come without a fight, as the Raiders (8-7) are battling for their playoff lives, as well.
Wentz tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and, as he is unvaccinated, it was required that he be quarantined for a period of 10 days. However, the NFL followed moves from the CDC and shortened the quarantine period to five days if the positive-testing player is asymptomatic. That appears to be the case for Wentz here and this protocol update may just have saved the Colts’ season.
Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire To Miss Tomorrow’s Game
The Chiefs will be without their top running back for tomorrow’s showdown against the Bengals. The team announced that running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game and won’t travel with the team to Cincinnati. The Chiefs also announced that they’ve activated running back Jerick McKinnon from IR.
Edwards-Helaire has been battling a shoulder injury that kept him out of practice all week. The RB was knocked out of last weekend’s win over the Steelers, but subsequent X-rays were negative.
The former first-round pick has already missed five games this season, and while he’s started each of his 10 games, he’s pretty much splitting playing time with Darrel Williams at this point. Williams will likely get the starting nod tomorrow, with Derrick Gore likely serving as the number-two back.
McKinnon should also be on the roster for tomorrow’s game. The veteran signed with the Chiefs this past offseason, and he saw time in 11 games before landing on IR in late November, collecting 119 yards from scrimmage on 17 touches. The veteran also saw plenty of playing time on special teams. A hamstring injury sidelined McKinnon for all of December, but he returned to Chiefs practice earlier this week.
Patriots Extend S Adrian Phillips
Adrian Phillips is sticking around New England. The Patriots safety is inking a three-year extension, reports SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
The three-year deal is worth $12.75MM and could be worth up to $14.25MM. The deal contains $7.25MM in guaranteed money.
Phillips evolved from an undrafted rookie into an All-Pro special teamer with the Chargers. He caught on with the Patriots in 2020, signing a two-year, $6MM deal ($3MM guaranteed). After starting 24 games in six seasons for the Chargers, Phillips has started 27 games in one-plus seasons with New England.
Following a first season in New England that saw him starting all 16 games and collecting a career-high 109 tackles, Phillips has had another productive season with the Patriots in 2021. In 15 games (11 starts), the 29-year-old has compiled 76 tackles, eight passes defended, and four interceptions. He ranks among the top of Pro Football Focus’ ranking of top coverage safeties, and he also earned a spot on the site’s recent “All-Pro Team.”
While Phillips is listed as a safety, Bill Belichick and co. haven’t been afraid to use the veteran throughout their defense. Per Next Gen Stats (and passed along by ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter), Phillips has played more than 100 defensive snaps at safety, slot cornerback, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, and edge. He’s also seen time at perimeter cornerback and interior defensive line.
Panthers’ Shaq Thompson, Brian Burns To Play Sunday
The Panthers will get a major boost on their defense when they take on the Saints tomorrow. Brian Burns and Shaq Thompson have cleared COVID-19 protocols and will play in New Orleans on Sunday, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
The two players were among a handful of Panthers players who landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday, putting their availability for Sunday in doubt. While Burns and Thompson will play, the Panthers will still likely be without a handful of notable defensive players, including linebacker Haason Reddick.
Burns, a 2019 first-round pick, earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season, boosting his eventual fifth-year option value from around $11.5MM to $16.6MM (per OverTheCap.com). In 15 starts, Burns has collected nine sacks, two forced fumbles, 17 QB hits, and 29 tackles. The edge rusher has also earned a top-10 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus.
Thompson, a former first-round pick, has spent his entire career with the Panthers, including 2019 and 2020 campaigns where he combined for 223 tackles. He’s had another productive season in 2021, collecting 91 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. The 27-year-old still has two-plus years remaining on the four-year, $54MM extension he inked with Carolina in 2019.
Latest On Jadeveon Clowney, Future With Browns
Jadeveon Clowney‘s first season in Cleveland has been mostly a success, and the former first-overall pick will consider a long-term pact with the Browns when he hits free agency this upcoming offseason.
“I would, but we haven’t talked about anything right now,” Clowney said yesterday (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). “Still finishing the season. Got a lot of guys on this team that’s on a one-year deal that might be heading back or don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but right now, it’s just all about the next game and trying to get through the season and doing what I can do for the team right now.”
As Ulrich notes, the Browns had courted Clowney for a few years, and they finally landed the defender on a one-year deal worth up to $10MM back in April. Following a 2020 campaign that saw him finish with zero sacks in eight games with the Titans, Clowney has rehabilitated his pass-rushing image in 2021. In 12 games (12 starts) this season, the 28-year-old has collected five sacks, 15 QB hits, and 29 tackles.
While Clowney is still unsure of his future, the veteran can count on one thing: teammate Myles Garrett will definitely try to convince him to stay.
“I’ll try, but you never know,” Garrett. “Guys have their own agendas and want to be in certain places. I can’t help it if a guy wants to be in Miami, he likes the weather there more, he likes to be by the water.