Lions Place QB Matthew Stafford On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Lions announced earlier tonight that they’ve placed Matthew Stafford on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the quarterback will have to miss any time.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter explains on Twitter, Stafford is “considered a high-risk, close contact from a non team member.” Since his most recent contact came on Monday, the veteran will be eligible to come off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday, making him eligible to play against the Vikings this weekend.
Of course, everything could change if Stafford’s tests don’t come back negative. Fortunately, his wife, Kelly, stated on Instagram that the 32-year-old hasn’t tested positive.
As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes, Stafford landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list back in July. It was later learned that his test showed a false positive, prompting changes to the NFL’s testing protocol.
Stafford’s completed only 61.4-percent of his passes this season, his worst showing since 2014. However, he’s still put up solid counting numbers, including 1,916 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and only five interceptions in seven games. In the event that Stafford was sidelined, the team would turn to either Chase Daniel or David Blough.
Giants Claim WR Dante Pettis
Dante Pettis is heading to New York. The Giants announced that they have claimed the wide receiver off waivers. Pettis was waived by the 49ers yesterday.
While Pettis’ impending quarantine will sideline him for this weekend’s matchup against Washington, he could see a role in the Giants offense when the team returns from bye in Week 12. New York’s receiver corps is led by Golden Tate, Darius Slayton, and Sterling Shepard (along with tight end Evan Engram and running back Dion Lewis), but Pettis could slide in as a fourth receiver.
Of course, he also could have had a role in San Francisco, but he was phased completely out of the offense by the time he was let go. The former second-rounder showed some promise during his rookie campaign, hauling in 27 catches for 467 yards and five scores in 12 games (seven starts). His production plummeted in 2019, and he hasn’t had a reception in five games this season.
As Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel pointed out yesterday on Twitter, Pettis will account for around $264K in cap space. Considering the Giants’ early spot in the waiver order, there’s a good chance a handful of other teams made a claim.
Trade Notes: Packers, McKinley, Alexander
We heard earlier today that the Packers were eying Texans wideout Will Fuller, but there were reportedly disagreements among high-level Packers officials on whether they should make a play for a receiver. While head coach Matt LaFleur said he was unsure if “anything ever got that serious,” he was sure that he’s on the same page with general manager Brian Gutekunst.
“I have no idea where anything like that would ever come from,” LaFleur said of the reports (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). “We’re in constant communication, we’re on the same page and there is no truth to that. I promise you that.”
While receiver Davante Adams expressed confidence in his teammates, he previously acknowledged that he’d welcome some help at the position.
“I wouldn’t say we necessarily need to, because I think we’ve shown what we can do,” Adams said. “When I went down, guys stepped up and did what they had to do. Stepped up big. I wouldn’t say it’s a need. Obviously, I’ve said this before, I don’t think it’s any secret that could help us potentially. I wouldn’t be opposed to it. It could help us. But I definitely got full faith and trust in my guys here to be able to get it done.”
As Demovsky notes, the Packers could be getting some reinforcement at the position, as receiver Allen Lazard could return this weekend. The 24-year-old had eight catches for 146 yards and one score in Week 3, but he’s been sidelined since undergoing core muscle surgery.
Some more trade notes from around the NFL:
- The Falcons were seeking a fourth-round pick for defensive end Takkarist McKinley, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (via Twitter). We heard last week that the former first-rounder was on the trade block, but the 25-year-old declared last night that he wasn’t going anywhere. McKinley has compiled only eight tackles and one sack in four games this season, and he hasn’t played more than 40-percent of his team’s defensive snaps since Week 1.
- After acquiring defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in a preseason trade with the Jaguars, the Vikings traded the veteran to the Ravens back in October. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the trade conditions from the conditional fifth-rounder that Minnesota sent Jacksonville still apply. That fifth-rounder will turn into a fourth-rounder if Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl (with the Ravens). It’s worth noting that the Vikings received a conditional fifth-rounder in their trade with Baltimore, and there’s a good chance that selection contains many of the same conditions.
- The pick the Dolphins received in the Isaiah Ford trade with the Patriots is a conditional sixth-rounder, tweets Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Howe adds that the pick could turn into a seventh-rounder if the conditions aren’t met.
- The conditional fifth-round pick that the Saints sent the 49ers in the Kwon Alexander trade has a bit more intrigue. The MMQB’s Albert Breer tweets that it’s a 2022 pick that’s heading to San Francisco, although that could turn into a 2021 selection based on “play-time markers.”
- Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup was presumably never on the block, as VP Stephen Jones said last week that the organization wouldn’t be trading the 24-year-old (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota on Twitter). Following a breakout 2019 campaign, Gallup has disappointed a bit in 2020, hauling in 26 receptions for 432 yards and one score through eight games (seven starts).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/3/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DE Daniel Wise
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed CB Brian Allen
- Released: LB Kendall Donnerson
Green Bay Packers
- Released: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DE Gerri Green
- Released: DE Breeland Speaks
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Jake Gervase
- Released: LB Daniel Bituli
Miami Dolphins
- Released: DB Cordrea Tankersley
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Elijah Campbell, LB Sharif Finch, S Saquan Hampton
- Placed on IR: WR D.J. Montgomery
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Marcus Green
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: LB Michael Divinity, LB Mychal Kendricks
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/20
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrell Bonds, LB Tyus Bowser, DB DeShon Elliott, LB L.J. Fort, LB Malik Harrison, LB Matt Judon, LB Patrick Queen
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: OT Lachavious Simmons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OG Germain Ifedi, OT Jason Spriggs
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Jake Butt
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jarrad Davis
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers (from Titans): DT Isaiah Mack
- Placed on IR: TE Devin Asiasi
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: S Adrian Colbert
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: LB Bryce Hager, S Bennett Jackson
- Released: OL Jimmy Murray
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Jullian Taylor
Tennessee Titans
- Released: LS Beau Brinkley
Titans To Release LB Vic Beasley
The Titans have apparently seen enough out of linebacker Vic Beasley. The team announced that they’ll be cutting the veteran on Wednesday.
While Beasley hadn’t even been with the Titans for a full year, his stint in Tennessee was still plenty tumultuous. He inked a one-year deal containing $9.5MM in guaranteed money back in March, but he was placed on the Titans’ reserve/did not report during training camp. He eventually reported in mid-August, but there was never a true explanation for his no-show. Plus, while the two sides reiterated that they had been in contact throughout his absence, the Titans were also clear that the truancy was unexcused.
That wasn’t the end of things. Beasley subsequently failed his physical was placed on the PUP list, and he was finally activated by the Titans in early September. He made his debut in Week 3 for Tennessee, but he’s mostly played in a platoon role; his season-high in defensive snaps played was this past weekend against the Bengals. In total, the 28-year-old’s Titans career will end with only three tackles and one forced fumble in five games played.
Following a standout career at Clemson, the Falcons made Beasley the eighth-overall pick in the 2015 draft. The linebacker’s tenure with the Falcons was a bit trick-or-treat; after playing a giant role in the Falcons winning the NFC Championship in 2016 (15.5 sacks, six forced fumbles), he combined for only 10 sacks between the 2017 and 2018 campaign. There’s a chance a rival team ends up taking a chance on the 28-year-old; a team would owe him only $1.85MM of his remaining 2020 salary, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
It’s been a busy few days for the Titans. The organization cut cornerback Johnathan Joseph earlier today, and they acquired cornerback/return specialist Desmond King in a trade with the Chargers yesterday.
49ers Waive WR Dante Pettis
Dante Pettis‘ disappointing tenure with the 49ers has come to an end. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that San Francisco is waiving the wide receiver. The 49ers made the move after “trying and failing to trade” the former second-rounder.
It’s not a huge surprise that Pettis was on the trade block. After all, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the team was shopping the wideout last month. Shanahan seemed to somewhat walk back those comments after the 49ers had suffered a handful of receiver injuries, but it was still clear that Pettis probably wasn’t going to stick around San Francisco long term.
Other teams apparently weren’t willing to give up even a conditional draft pick for Pettis, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t find another gig. As Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel points out on Twitter, it’ll only cost a team around $264K in cap space to claim the receiver, so there’s a chance that Pettis may not even hit free agency.
The Washington product was a second-round pick (No. 44) by the 49ers in 2018. He had a solid rookie campaign, hauling in 27 catches for 467 yards and five scores in 12 games (seven starts). He saw time in 11 games (four starts) in 2019, but his production plummeted, as he finished with 11 catches for 109 yards and two scores.
Pettis had basically been phased out of the 49ers offense in 2020. While he’s appeared in five games (one start), he’s mostly appeared on special teams (collecting two punt returns, one kick return, and a lost fumble). He appeared in 73-percent of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 1, but other than three offensive snaps in Week 8, Pettis hasn’t appeared on offense since September.
Jets Notes: Darnold, 2017 Draft, Gase, Maye
Some rare good news for the Jets. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that quarterback Sam Darnold‘s precautionary MRI of his right shoulder only showed a “reaggravation.” The 23-year-old will attempt to work through the injury and won’t be sidelined.
Darnold initially suffered the shoulder injury during the Jets’ Week 4 loss to the Broncos, and that forced Joe Flacco into the lineup for Week 5. Darnold returned under center for the past two games, but he’s only completed 56.6-percent of his passes for 253 yards and two interceptions. Prior to the injury, Darnold completed 59.42-percent of his passes for 792 yards, three scores, and four interceptions.
Darnold has missed eight games through his three NFL seasons. If he’s forced to miss more time, the team could either turn to Flacco, third-stringer James Morgan, or practice squad signal-caller Mike White.
Some more notes out of the Big Apple:
- Prior to the Jets loss to the Chiefs yesterday, ESPN’s Rich Cimini gave the “inside story” of why the organization passed on future MVP and champion Patrick Mahomes during the 2017 draft. There were a variety of reasons that went into the decision: the Jets had already invested in Josh McCown as their bridge quarterback, there was still some optimism that Christian Hackenberg could work out, former GM Mike Maccagnan already had his eye on the 2018 quarterbacks class (including Darnold), and the organization was much more infatuated with their eventual pick, safety Jamal Adams. Still, prior to the draft, Mahomes thought he could end up in New York. “I definitely thought there was interest there,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you go on those visits, you know they’re pretty interested in doing their due diligence. I definitely thought there was interest there.”
- While we’ve heard a similar sentiment throughout the past few weeks, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reiterates that the Jets aren’t expected to fire head coach Adam Gase midseason. “They really don’t want to do it,” a source told Vacchiano. “They may have to, at some point. But they know a midseason coaching change doesn’t change their situation. I think they’re going to hold off as long as they can.” Vacchiano provided a variety of reasons why it makes sense for the Jets to hold on to Gase, including the fact that the head coach serves as a “lightning rod” while distracting from general manager Joe Douglas‘ shaky first season with the organization.
- Safety Marcus Maye‘s rookie contract is set to come to an end, and Cimini believes he could be eyeing a contract that will pay him around $7MM per season. As a result, Cimini reports that rival teams believe the 27-year-old could be had as part of the team’s fire sale. The reporter had a similar sentiment about Bradley McDougald, although the impending free agent safety has since landed on IR.
- In the same article, Cimini passes along an anecdote from 2018, when the Jets “boxed” out the QB-needy Bills by moving from No. 6 to No. 3 in a deal with the Colts. The move allowed the Jets to select Darnold, who was Buffalo’s top-rated QB. In fact, the Bills were so displeased with the deal, they refused to negotiate with Indy for the remainder of the draft. Buffalo ended up trading up from No. 11 to No. 7, and they proceeded to select Josh Allen.
Jaguars To Start QB Jake Luton This Weekend
Jake Luton will likely be under center for the Jaguars this weekend. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the rookie quarterback is expected to start against the Texans on Sunday. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds (on Twitter) that Luton will get starter reps at practice this week.
We learned last week that Jaguars starting quarterback Gardner Minshew had been diagnosed with multiple fractures in his right thumb (in addition to a strained ligament). Minshew reportedly suffered the injury in early October and had played through the pain, and staffers only learned of the injury last week. Following the revelation, the team decided to sideline their starter.
The decision to start Luton comes as a bit of a surprise. The team is also rostering veteran Mike Glennon, who has bounced between the practice squad and active roster this season. The 30-year-old has 22 career starts under his belt, although he’s only attempted a combined 31 passes over the past two-plus seasons.
So, the team will instead turn to Luton, a sixth-round rookie out of Oregon State. Luton had a breakout season for the Beavers in 2019, completing 62-percent of his passes for 2,714 yards, 28 touchdowns, and three interceptions. We heard last week that the Jaguars coaching staff was impressed with the rookie, and considering the team is currently 1-6, it makes a bit of sense to see what they’ve got in the 24-year-old.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/20
Today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Devon Kennard, CB Byron Murphy
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Rasul Douglas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: RB Troymaine Pope, C/G Cole Toner
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: WR Tommylee Lewis
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DT Isaiah Mack