Rams Player Tests Positive For COVID-19
One Rams player has tested positive for COVID-19, per a club announcement. In accordance with league guidelines, the player has entered self-quarantine. The Rams say that the player is in quarantine “out of an abundance of caution” — a possible indication that he is asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic. Meanwhile, the Rams will conduct all Wednesday activities virtually.
The Rams are slated for a huge Monday Night Football matchup against the Bucs this week. Barring an outbreak of more positive tests, that game will still go on as scheduled. The Seahawks — the Rams’ last opponent — will be keeping a watchful eye on test results. To date, they are the only NFL team that has not reported a positive COVID-19 test since the start of the regular season.
On Tuesday, the Washington Football Team and the Giants both announced COVID-19 positives. Kicker Graham Gano is the Giants’ COVID-19 positive player; the Washington positive is unknown.
Chiefs To Sign DeAndre Baker To Practice Squad
DeAndre Baker is back in the NFL. The Chiefs are set to sign the former first-round cornerback to their practice squad, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Robbery Charges Against DeAndre Baker Dropped]
Earlier this week, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office dropped the armed robbery charges against Baker. He was away from football for much of 2020 and gearing up for a court battle, but he’s now in the clear, legally speaking. The NFL could still discipline Baker after an investigation from the league office. For now, he’s free to join the Chiefs’ reserve squad.
Garafolo hears that it won’t be long before Baker makes his way to the active roster, provided that everything checks out. That’s no surprise, considering Baker’s first-round pedigree. A standout at Georgia, Baker was widely regarded as the top cornerback in the class. The 5-foot-11 athlete turned in a standout 2018 season with the Bulldogs, compiling 40 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, and two picks.
Baker was expected to be a key part of the Giants’ secondary right off the bat. Instead, he clashed with coaches and wound up benched midway through his first pro season. Still, the talent is there, and there’s little risk for the Chiefs as they take a flyer on him.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jake Carlock
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Luke Wilson
Carolina Panthers
- Cut: TE Seth DeValve
Cincinnati Bengals
- Cut: OT O’Shea Dugas
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Breeland Speaks
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: P Johnny Townsend
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Ryan Glasgow
- Cut: DE Will Clarke
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Nate Wieting
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Connor Davis
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB Adrian Killins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Charles Jones
- Released: LB Ray Wilborn
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on practice squad IR: DB Jared Mayden
This Date In Transactions History: Cardinals Extend Larry Fitzgerald
Three years ago, Larry Fitzgerald was thought to be on his farewell tour. That, of course, was not the case. The Cardinals inked the legendary wide receiver to a new one-year extension worth $11MM, tying him to the team for at least one more year. 
Fitzgerald was considering retirement, but the Cardinals talked him out of it with this re-up, which included a no-trade clause. It wasn’t necessarily an easy decision for the vet, who could have left on a high note. At the time of the deal, Fitzgerald led the NFC with 60 catches and was on pace for well over 1,000 yards. No player in league history ever registered more than 100 catches and 1,000 yards in an age-34 season — Fitzgerald did it with ease.
The deal didn’t necessarily guarantee that Fitzgerald would play in 2018 — it merely put the ball in his court. Fitzgerald went on to play and suit up for every game, matching kicker Jim Bakken for the most regular season games played in Cardinals history with 234. He also captured his eleventh career Pro Bowl nod and leapfrogged tight end Tony Gonzalez for second all-time in NFL receptions, behind Jerry Rice. Fitzgerald didn’t stop there — he’s now eclipsed Randy Moss and Terrell Owens on the all-time list with 17,000+ receiving yards. Once again, only Rice (22,895) tops him.
Fitzgerald is still doing his thing at the age of 37 and he’s still not quite ready to commit to retirement. What would it take for one of the league’s all-time legends to call it quits?
“You wouldn’t see me around here anymore if [we win the Super Bowl this year],” Fitzgerald said in September. “Another catch, another touchdown, another yard is not going to make more whatever – my legacy is pretty much cemented. I just want to win a championship, I want to compete for a division title. Those are the things that are important to me.”
Bucs’ Antonio Brown Accused Of Vandalism
Antonio Brown was recently accused of destroying a surveillance camera in his gated community in Florida (via David Ovalle of the Miami Herald). The alleged incident took place before Brown joined the Buccaneers. It’s not immediately clear whether the Bucs were informed of the matter at the time of signing, but they are aware of the matter now. 
“We are aware of the reported incident involving Antonio Brown prior to his signing,” the Bucs said in a statement. “When Antonio joined us, we were clear about what we expected and required of him. Thus far, he has met all the expectations we have in place.”
It’s worth noting that the homeowners association declined to press charges for the mid-October incident, though the board’s president says she feared possible retaliation. The allegations are troubling given Brown’s extensive history of off-the-field trouble, though it pales in comparison to everything else on his rap sheet. Ultimately, the Buccaneers are unlikely to discipline Brown in connection with this issue, but the league office may look into it. Per the collective bargaining agreement, the NFL has the authority to fine or suspend players for conduct violations, even when the justice system is not involved.
Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler, caught seven passes for 69 yards on Sunday as the Bucs trounced the Panthers. It was a step-up from his Nov. 8 debut against the Saints — Brown had 3 catches for 31 yards in the blowout loss.
Chiefs, 49ers Interested In DeAndre Baker
The armed robbery charges against former Giants cornerback Deandre Baker have been dropped and he’s already drawing interest from a handful of NFL teams. The Chiefs, Bengals, 49ers, and Jaguars are all in on Baker, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Cowboys, he adds, “could also be in play.” 
[RELATED: Robbery Charges Against DeAndre Baker Dropped]
The Giants, who immediately distanced themselves from Baker following the allegations from Florida, are not interested in a reunion, Schwartz says. Giants head coach Joe Judge effectively confirmed that when speaking with reporters on Monday.
“[We] wish him the best luck in the future,” Judge said. “We’ve made the decision we think is best for the program. That is all I have to say about that.”
The Giants traded up from the second round in 2019 to draft Baker towards the back-end of the first round. A standout at Georgia, Baker was widely regarded as the top cornerback in the class. The 5-foot-11 athlete turned in a standout 2018 season with the Bulldogs, compiling 40 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, and two picks. However, he struggled to grasp the playbook as a rookie and wound up benched late in the season. All in all, he had 55 stops, zero interceptions, and lots of headache-inducing game tape.
On the other hand, Baker is still young and represents a low-risk, high-reward signing for teams like the Chiefs and 49ers. He’s free to sign with any team, though NFL discipline could still be in his future.
Jets Beat Dolphins, Ravens, Others For Pat Elflein
The Jets, at least, have achieved something this year. On Monday, the Jets beat out five other NFL teams on the waiver wire when they picked up former Vikings offensive lineman Pat Elflein, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Jaguars, Bears, Dolphins, Ravens, and the Washington Football Team all tried to claim the veteran, but the Jets’ 0-9 record gave them the upper hand. 
Elflein started 15 games at guard in 2019, and he started the 2020 season opener before suffering a torn thumb ligament. That injury forced him to the injured reserve list. And, after returning to practice three weeks ago, his IR-DTR window had recently come to an end. Therefore, the Vikings had no other choice than to activate Elflein. One day later, they released the 26-year-old lineman.
The former third-rounder earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team in 2017 after starting 14 games at center for the Vikings. He played the same role in 2018, but he was switched to guard in 2019 after Minnesota drafted Garrett Bradbury in the first round of that year’s draft.
Elflein’s injury has hindered him, but he now says that he’s fully healthy. And, although his rookie contract will expire at the end of the year, the Jets will have the opportunity to evaluate him and potentially lock him up before he can reach the open market in March. The advanced metrics have never been fond of Elflein’s work, but quality linemen are in short supply, and plenty of teams were eager to take the low-cost risk before the Jets won out.
Robbery Charges Against DeAndre Baker Dropped
The four armed robbery charges against DeAndre Baker have been dropped, per an announcement from Florida prosecutors. Meanwhile, the attorney for three of Baker’s accusers has been arrested on extortion charges (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). 
Laywer William Dean represented three of Baker’s accusers — all of whom recanted their statements last week. There was a fourth accuser who wasn’t represented by Dean, and he did not appear for a hearing in October. Reportedly, Dean tried to pry as much as $1.5M from Baker in exchange for his clients changing their statements.
A quick refresher: Baker was alleged to have robbed a party at gunpoint in May. Originally, Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar was charged as his accomplice, but the Broward State Attorney’s office declined to pursue charges against him. The story has only gotten stranger from there, including payoff allegations against attorney Michael Grieco, who was once representing Dunbar. The charges against Dunbar have since been dropped.
The Giants kept their distance from Baker throughout the process before formally waiving him in September. He is now a full-fledged free agent and free to sign with any club, though he could still be subject to fines or suspensions from the league office.
Latest On Panthers’ Teddy Bridgewater, Christian McCaffrey
Teddy Bridgewater‘s knee injury scared everyone on Sunday. Fortunately, the Panthers quarterback did not suffer any structural damage, as ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen tweets. 
Bridgewater is dealing with some soreness and swelling, so the Panthers will monitor his condition from here. Given his history, you can expect the team to err on the side of caution, though Bridgewater hurt his right knee, not the left knee that was torn up in 2016. If Bridgewater is ruled out for this week, XFL star P.J. Walker will step in to start against the Lions.
Bridgewater inked a three-year, $60MM+ deal with the Panthers this year to replace Cam Newton under center. The rebuilding effort, led by new head coach Matt Rhule, has yielded a 3-7 record, including yesterday’s 46-23 loss to the Bucs. For his part, Bridgewater has completed 72.1% of his throws, which would represent a new single season watermark. All in all, he’s registered 2,552 passing yards in his ten games with 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
Meanwhile, the Panthers aren’t expecting to have star running back Christian McCaffrey against the Lions either (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). McCaffrey has appeared in just three games this year thanks to an ankle injury and his latest shoulder malady. In total, he has taken 59 carries for 225 yards and five rushing TDs, plus 17 catches for 149 yards and one score through the air.
Saints’ Drew Brees To Miss Time
Saints quarterback Drew Brees suffered a rib contusion on Sunday against the 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll undergo an MRI to check for cartilage damage, but the Saints are already bracing for Brees to miss time. 
Brees took a big hit late in the first half and initially stayed in the game before telling Sean Payton at halftime that he wouldn’t be able to continue. Interestingly, the injury report indicated that Brees had suffered a shoulder injury — a sign that he’s dealing with multiple ailments, rather than just the ribs. Jameis Winston filled in for Brees after he was forced out, completing 6-10 passes for 63 yards.
Winston may be in line to start for the Saints this week, when they face the Falcons. Of course, Taysom Hill is also on the depth chart, giving Payton a couple of possible options to start.
Historically, Brees has always found a way to play through the pain. Over the course of his 20-year career, he’s missed just six games — mostly due to the thumb ligament tear he suffered last year. In his stead, Teddy Bridgewater went 5-0 as the Saints’ starter. If Brees misses an extended stretch, there could be a real opportunity for Winston to reassert himself in similar fashion. Bridgewater later parlayed his performance into a three-year Panthers deal worth $63MM, with a whopping $40MM guaranteed in the first two years.