Seahawks Activate Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon: Activated. The Seahawks have returned the wide receiver to the roster, setting the stage for his 2020 debut. 
Gordon’s indefinite suspension for substance-abuse and performance-enhancing drug violations kept him away from the team. On Dec. 3, the NFL lifted his ban and cleared him to practice starting this week. Gordon is reportedly in excellent shape and ready to contribute to the 10-4 Seahawks.
The former All-Pro has been suspended nine times since his NFL career began in 2012. Most of those suspensions have stemmed from substance-abuse policy violations. In eleven games with the Pats and Seahawks last season, Gordon caught 27 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. His yards-per-catch average was a stellar 19.9 in his five Seahawks games, and Pete Carroll is eager to see more of the same from Gordon.
“I’m anxious to see how he fits in,” Carroll said this week. “He’s a really impressive athlete, big kid, you know, and moves so well and so gracefully. I’m anxious to see how he looks quickness-wise with everybody else. Last year he jumped in and it was immediately obvious that he could compete.”
Gordon’s debut could come on Sunday when the Seahawks face the Rams in Seattle.
Washington To Consider Marty Hurney?
Marty Hurney is out of work, but it might not be long before he finds his next job. The former Panthers GM will be a candidate to run Washington’s front office if the team decides to open up the position, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Panthers Fire Marty Hurney]
Hurney, of course, has history with Washington head coach Ron Rivera dating back to their Carolina days. Hurney partnered with Rivera during the coach’s early Panthers seasons and returned to the front office as Rivera’s GM from 2017-2019. A reunion would make plenty of sense, though it would likely still leave Rivera with final say over the 53-man roster.
As Rapoport notes, the timing of Hurney’s dismissal could benefit the veteran executive. Now, he gets a head start on talks with the Washington Football Team. If they do choose to hire a GM in this cycle, they’ll join the Panthers, Falcons, Jaguars, Lions, and Texans in the market. In the next few weeks, we may see a few more NFL teams added to that list.
In the meantime, Washington will prepare to face the Panthers (oddly enough) in Week 16.
Panthers Fire GM Marty Hurney
On Monday morning, the Panthers fired GM Marty Hurney. Apparently, the Panthers wanted to get a jump on their GM search and didn’t want to wait another week. 
“I think sometimes you just need a restart, a refresh,” owner David Tepper said. “We did it last year on the coaching side. Maybe you could say it should have been done before on the GM side. Maybe it should have been. I’m sure people may say that, or otherwise, on both sides. I think it’s just time, on both sides, to do that. It just seems like the right time to move forward.”
Hurney first joined the Panthers in 1998 as the team’s director of football administration. The Panthers reached the Super Bowl in 2003 with Hurney in the front office and he was widely credited for helping to build the team that reached the Super Bowl in 2015. Hurney was fired in 2012, before that second SB appearance, but he was brought back in 2017 after the firing of Dave Gettleman.
This time around, Hurney got the axe just before the conclusion of a disappointing season. Things might have been different with a healthy Christian McCaffrey, and Tepper notes that the Panthers were the victim of some close losses.
“This team could easily have another four wins,” Tepper said. “The eight games that we had the ball last to win or tie — seven to win, one to tie — if you win four of those games, you’re in a totally different position right now with this young team. So looking at next year, I’m very hopeful where we will be and what we will do.”
The Panthers are now the fifth team in the NFL with a GM vacancy, joining the Falcons, Jaguars, Lions, and Texans.
Lions To Interview Scott Pioli
Former exec and current NFL analyst Scott Pioli will interview for the Lions GM job next week, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Although Pioli has relocated from the front office to the broadcast booth, he offers 27 years of league experience with the Patriots, Chiefs, and Falcons.
[RELATED: Lions To Meet With Thomas Dimitroff]
Pioli’s last stop in Atlanta ended abruptly in the spring of 2019. He had been serving as an assistant GM and top lieutenant to GM Thomas Dimitroff before leaving on his own accord. At least, that was Pioli’s account. Prior to that, Pioli was the Chiefs’ general manager for four seasons. The multi-time Executive of the Year award-winner may have been looking to get back to running his own front office. It’s also possible that the Falcons were looking to shake things up before their full-on renovation that followed.
Interestingly, his former Atlanta boss will also be interviewing for the role. In addition to Dimitroff and Pioli, the Lions have former Texans GM Rick Smith and ESPN’s Louis Riddick on the docket.
Panthers Place Greg Little On IR
The season is over for Greg Little. On Thursday, the Panthers placed the left tackle on injured reserve with an ankle injury. 
The league’s modified IR rules for 2020 allow players to come back after three games missed, but with only three games to go, that’ll be a wrap on Little’s campaign. This marks yet another disappointing year for the 2019 second-round pick. As a rookie, he was limited to just four games, thanks to knee and ankle injuries plus a pair of concussions. This year, he suited up for ten games, including three starts on the left side, but he’s been out for the last two weeks.
Little came out of Mississippi with plenty of hype, especially for his length and athleticism at 325 pounds. But if the Panthers had a chance at a mulligan, they probably would have gone in a different direction. Little was tapped with the No. 37 overall pick, where they could have snagged wide receivers A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalf.
Little will now focus on his recovery and a 2021 return. He remains under contract through 2022 with reasonable cap hits of $2.08MM and $2.43MM in the next two years.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: C Adam Redmond
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Tramaine Brock (story)
- Released: CB Dee Virgin
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on COVID-19 list: DE Tyshun Render
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Chase Harrell
- Placed on IR: WR Shawn Poindexter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OT Andrew Jones, OT Wyatt Miller
Lions To Interview Thomas Dimitroff
The Lions are set to interview former Falcons exec Thomas Dimitroff for their GM vacancy, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The two-time Executive of the Year was dismissed earlier this year, putting him out of the NFL for the first time in a long time.
[RELATED: Lions Sign Brock To Practice Squad]
Dimitroff is the third known candidate to interview for the post, following former Texans GM Rick Smith and ESPN’s Louis Riddick. Dimitroff — who was one of the league’s longest-tenured GMs before he was fired — helped build the team that reached the Super Bowl following the 2016 season. He’s also responsible for drafting franchise pillars including Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. But, on the whole, many have questioned his scouting track record.
The Lions are expected to cast a wide net, so their search will not be limited to just these three candidates. Their pool may also include former Giants general manager Jerry Reese, who has the support of Ford family advisors.
Lions Sign Tramaine Brock To Practice Squad
The Lions signed cornerback Tramaine Brock to the practice squad, per a club announcement. To make room, they dropped fellow corner Dee Virgin. 
Brock began the year with the Jaguars, where he stood as one of the few veteran players on the roster. Then, just before he could find out what this newfangled Tik Tok was all about, the grizzled 32-year-old landed on IR. The Jags released Brock in early September, putting him on the open market.
Brock has been off the field for the past few months, but he may get an opportunity to retake the field with fresh legs. That could happen as soon as this weekend, since Darryl Roberts reaggravated his hip injury.
At one point in time, Brock was regarded as one of the league’s better slot corners. He might not be the same player today, but he does offer experience with 117 career games and 56 starts.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/16/20
We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DT Braxton Hoyett, WR Gary Jennings
- Released: RB Tommy Bohanon
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB John Kelly
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Jordan Scarlett, QB Jordan Ta’amu
- Released: P Arryn Siposs
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Anthony Kukwa
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: S Ibraheim Campbell
Jacksonville Jaguars:
- Signed: C Evan Boehm
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Marcell Ateman
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Andre Patton
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Earl Watford
- Released: DB Dayan Lake
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Blake Countess
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: DL Willie Henry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
Lions To Interview Louis Riddick
The Lions plan to interview Louis Riddick for their GM vacancy on Friday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Riddick, who currently works for ESPN, last worked in the NFL in 2013 in the Eagles’ front office.
Riddick is now the first known out-of-house candidate to be interviewed by the Lions. He’s best known for his time in Philly from 2005-13, including his run as the Eagles’ director of player personnel from 2010-13. Before that, he broke into the scouting world with the [Washington Football team] from 2001-04, so his executive tenure has come entirely in the NFC East.
The former NFL defensive back could now transition to the NFC North, though the Lions are expected to cast a wide net in their search. Their pool of candidates may include former Giants general manager Jerry Reese. Reese, who was fired by the G-Men in 2017, has the support from advisors to the Ford family and his predecessor Ernie Accorsi.