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.
Kirk Cousins Will Miss Game This Week On COVID List
According to a tweet from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins has tested positive for COVID, moving him to the COVID-19/reserve list and ruling him out for this weekend’s matchup in Green Bay. Tom Pelissero, of NFL Network, was told that Cousins experienced symptoms, self-reported, and test positive (Twitter). Because Cousins is symptomatic, he is not affected by the new rule change shortening the isolation requirements for players who test positive but prove to be asymptomatic. The rule change will make it easier for Cousins to return to the facility once his symptoms subside, though.
Backup quarterback Sean Mannion was on the COVID-19/reserve list after testing positive on Sunday. The remaining quarterbacks on the roster are Kyle Sloter and the rookie out of Texas A&M, Kellen Mond.
Neither quarterback has seen playing time in the NFL. Kellen Mond was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has been sitting on the active roster as a reserve. Kyle Sloter went undrafted in 2017 and was signed by the Denver Broncos. In the preseason, Sloter impressed completing 31 of 43 pass attempts for 413 yards while throwing 3 touchdowns and no picks. His passer rating of 125.4 in the preseason led a rookie class that included Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes, and Deshaun Watson. Sloter was nonetheless cut before the season started and has since bounced around on multiple NFL practice squads. He spent the tail-end of the 2019 NFL season on Detroit’s active roster, but never saw a down of football. Sloter was signed to the Vikings’ active roster only three days ago, when Mannion was placed on the COVID list.
The silver lining for the Vikings comes from a tweet by ESPN’s Minnesota Vikings’ Reporter, Courtney Cronin, who is expecting Mannion to be activated off of the reserve/COVID-19 list today and start this weekend with Mond backing him up. This was confirmed by NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport as the move was made official.
Panthers Starting Darnold In Week 17
In one of the more intriguing depth chart decisions this late in the season, head coach of the Panthers Matt Rhule has announced that Sam Darnold will start under center for the team’s Week 17 matchup in New Orleans. The intrigue comes from a few places, namely a possible quarterback controversy and the handling of Darnold’s health.
It’s been hard to get a read on what Rhule’s thoughts are on their quarterback room. Longtime Panther Cam Newton was signed to help fill in when Darnold fractured his scapula in a loss to the Patriots and was placed on IR. Newton started 5 of the next 6 games, losing all of his starts and being benched twice for P.J. Walker. Before Newton’s most recent start, Darnold was activated off of IR. Despite Darnold’s activation, Rhule stuck with Newton to start against the Buccaneers. It didn’t take long for Newton to be benched a third time, this time for the newly healthy Darnold. Whether it was skill or health that had Darnold coming off the bench instead of starting is unclear, but 19 minutes into the game, Rhule clearly thought Darnold gave them the best chance at winning.
It certainly wouldn’t be unreasonable for Rhule to be cautious and let Darnold take the rest of the season to heal. After all, last week’s loss to Tampa Bay eliminated the Panthers from playoff contention. To take Darnold immediately from IR and throw him into the line of fire seems like a bit of an unnecessary risk.
Rhule was quoted saying, “Sam has been working hard to get back…We’re going to give him this opportunity to show what he can do.” The stance conveyed in this quote seems to show that Darnold’s grasp on the starting quarterback job in Carolina is tenuous at best. It sounds as if Rhule is giving the former first round pick one more chance over the next two games to convince him that quarterback shouldn’t be a priority for the Panthers this offseason. Road matchups against the Saints and Buccaneers won’t make this an easy task for Darnold.
Buckeyes Big First Round?
On Monday, we saw Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson announce his intentions to skip his team’s Rose Bowl matchup with the Utes to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft. As a few of his teammates follow suit, it becomes less and less likely that Wilson will be alone in hearing his name called on the night of April 28th.
As Monday night crept on, we saw tweets from offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere (Twitter), wide receiver Chris Olave (Twitter), and defensive tackle Haskell Garrett (Twitter) all echoing Wilson’s intentions. Surprisingly, Wilson, the highest projected pick of the four, was the only one not named First-team All-Big Ten this year.
Olave joins Wilson as a potential first-round receiver this year. Wilson’s 12 touchdowns and Olave’s 13 touchdowns are both good for top-7 in the nation. Their combined 25 receiving touchdowns are good for second-most in the country for a receiving duo, behind only Western Kentucky’s Jerreth Sterns and Mitchell Tinsley who combined for 31. If both receivers are picked in the first round this year, Ohio State would join Alabama as the only two schools with two receivers picked in the first round of the same draft since 2007, when both Ohio State and LSU accomplished this feat. Alabama has done it twice, consecutively: in 2020 with Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy and last year with Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith.
Petit-Frere and Haskell are more likely day two prospects, but they are frequently considered to have an early-second-round value. Between the Combine, Ohio State’s Pro Day, and the unpredictability of the draft, it’s certainly not out of the question that Buckeyes could be four of the first thirty-two names called on that Thursday night in late-April.
Penn State WR Jahan Dotson Declares For Draft
Jahan Dotson is going pro. On Monday, the fourth-year junior (the 2020 season didn’t count against eligibility) out of Penn State tweeted his intent to skip the Outback Bowl versus Arkansas and declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Spending his first two years on a talented depth chart, Dotson made splash plays here and there while current pros KJ Hamler and Pat Freiermuth pulled attention in the passing game.
In a 2020 season shortened by COVID-19, Dotson had a breakout year catching 52 passes for 884 yards and 8 touchdowns in only nine games. This year, Dotson picked up right where he left off, catching 91 balls for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Nittany Lions’ bona fide number one receiver.
Dotson is joined in opting out of the bowl game by red-shirt senior safety Jaquan Brisker. Brisker is commonly seen as the second-ranked safety in the NFL Draft behind Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton.
While neither Dotson nor Brisker are guaranteed to hear their name called on day one, they’ve both shown an ability to make big plays. If there is a run on receivers or a safety-needy playoff team, Penn State could see two players’ names called in the first round.
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/25-12/26/21
We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Christmas and today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyeler Davison
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Justice Hill, QB Tyler Huntley
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Dion Dawkins
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Rashaan Melvin, WR Brandon Zylstra
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Chidobe Awuzie
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Wyatt Ray, NT D.J. Reader
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Alex Taylor
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Kevin King
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, LB Christian Kirksey, DE Jacob Martin, C Justin McCray, DB Terrance Mitchell
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Darius Leonard, WR Zach Pascal, DB Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jordan Smith, LB Myles Jack
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Nick Bolton, WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce, T Lucas Niang
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Bryan Edwards, QB Marcus Mariota
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mike Williams, RB Austin Ekeler
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Andrew Whitworth
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Solomon Kindley, WR Albert Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Sean Mannion, T Rashod Hill
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Deatrich Wise
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Carl Granderson, WR Deonte Harris, T Jerald Hawkins, DB KeiVarae Russell, DL Malcolm Roach
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Cam Brown
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Natrell Jamerson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: NT Danny Shelton, T Nate Solder
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Quinnen Williams
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DE Jabari Zuniga
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Shaun Bradley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Steven Sims
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Kerry Hyder
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Blessuan Austin
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Nate Davis
Washington Football Team
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Wendell Smallwood, K Joey Slye
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/25-12/26/21
Here are the league’s practice squad moves from Christmas and today:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Kenji Bahar
- Released: C Jimmy Murray
New York Giants
- Released: LB Omari Cobb
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: K Matthew McCrane
- Released: C Luke Juriga
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Cameron Nizialek