Seahawks Sign Alex Collins
The Seahawks have signed running back Alex Collins to the practice squad, per a club announcement. Collins will head to the practice squad alongside linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who was brought back after a brief hiatus. 
[RELATED: Mychal Kendricks Returns To Seahawks Practice Squad]
The Seahawks worked out Collins back in January, but didn’t end up signing him at the time. Months later, he’s back. They’re plenty familiar with Collins, as he started his career with the Seahawks back in 2016. A fifth-round pick out of Arkansas, Collins was waived after a rookie season where he played sparingly. He signed with Baltimore, and ended up having a breakout 2017 season with the Ravens.
Collins became their full-time starter, racking up 973 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. After that, his career took some odd turns. A 2018 foot injury cut his season short and his arrest in the 2019 offseason prompted the Ravens to drop him. After spending all of 2019 out of football, this marks Collins’ first opportunity to get his career back on track.
49ers-Packers Still On Track
COVID-19 forced the 49ers to close their facility this week, but their Thursday night game against the Packers is still set to go on as scheduled (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter).
[RELATED: COVID-19 Positive Closes 49ers Facility]
In recent days, the Niners have been forced to place a number of players on the reserve list, including offensive tackle Trent Williams and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Kendrick Bourne. The Packers, meanwhile, will be without running back AJ Dillon due to his positive test. And, because Dillon was in close contact with fellow RB Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin, they will also be barred from playing.
The 49ers have entered the league’s “intensive protocol” to help mitigate potential spread, but as of this writing, the league is planning to go full speed ahead on Thursday night. The Niners were already set for an uphill battle thanks to prior injuries, and they’ll now have to forge ahead without many of their top receivers. Meanwhile, the Packers’ backfield could be extra shallow, depending on the status of Aaron Jones‘ calf injury.
Ravens To Work Out Tramon Williams
The Ravens are set to work out longtime Packers cornerback Tramon Williams, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. If signed, Williams would help provide depth for a group that has lost star cornerback Marlon Humphrey and others to the COVID-19 list. 
[RELATED: Ravens Place Humphrey On COVID-19 List]
Even at the age of 37, Williams believes that he can still contribute to a contender. He was briefly on the fence about playing amidst the first coronavirus wave, but he’s now intent on returning to the field.
After spending nearly a decade with the Packers to start his career, Williams circled back in 2018. He’s appeared in all 32 regular season games over the past two seasons, including a 2019 campaign where he had eight passes defended and a pair of interceptions.
Most notably, Williams was a crucial part of the Packers’ Super Bowl victory in the 2010 season. He had three interceptions during that playoff run and came up with a critical stop late in the championship game to seal the win for Green Bay.
Patriots To Sign Donte Moncrief
The Patriots have signed wide receiver Donte Moncrief to the practice squad, per a club announcement. This was the expected move after the former third-rounder auditioned for the Pats earlier this week. 
[RELATED: Patriots Trade For Dolphins’ Ford]
Moncrief was recently released off the Jets’ practice squad, despite their own glaring need for offensive help. That wasn’t promising for Moncrief’s prospects, but the talent is still mostly there.
Moncrief first made his name with the Colts, playing as a featured regular in Andrew Luck‘s offense. The veteran totaled 13 touchdown receptions between the 2015-16 seasons for Indy and set a career-high in ’15 with 733 receiving yards. Since then, things have been a bit rocky — he appeared a grand total of eight games for the Panthers and Steelers in 2019, yielding four catches for 18 yards.
Now, the 27-year-old will await his next opportunity while showing his stuff on the practice field. Thanks to Tuesday’s trade for Dolphins receiver Isaiah Ford, he won’t be the only newcomer to the group.
Texans To Sign Josh McCown
The Texans have agreed to sign Josh McCown off of the Eagles’ practice squad roster, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The veteran quarterback will serve as insurance for starter Deshaun Watson and could dress for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. 
McCown signed an unprecedented deal to become the Eagles’ emergency remote quarterback (and a QB whisperer for Carson Wentz) in September. Now in his 40s, McCown is essentially viewed as a player/part-time assistant, with the expectation that he’ll be a coveted coaching candidate once he eventually retires.
McCown was the backup to Wentz last year when he was suddenly inserted in their first-round playoff game against Seattle. Then, he nearly led the Eagles to an improbable win.
This year, McCown has spent the bulk of his time at home in Texas, so he won’t have to make much of an adjustment as he joins up with Watson & Co. Furthermore, the deal could give him an opportunity to showcase his expertise as the Texans plot their coaching staff for 2021.
Seahawks’ Carlos Dunlap Reworks Deal
Carlos Dunlap reworked his contract to facilitate his trade to the Seahawks, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Dunlap was initially set to make $4.59MM for the remainder of the year. Now, he’ll earn $2MM over the next two months, plus a $3MM roster bonus for 2021. 
[RELATED: Bengals Trade Carlos Dunlap To Seahawks]
The adjustment — in theory — is a virtual wash for Dunlap. However, he won’t see that $3MM roster bonus unless he’s on the Seahawks’ roster on fifth day of the 2021 league year. If Dunlap doesn’t deliver for Seattle the rest of the way, the Seahawks won’t be inclined to keep him.
The Bengals hardly used Dunlap, and he was unhappy about it to say the least. After starting in Cincinnati’s first four games of the season, he was bumped from the first-string lineup and saw his snap count slashed week after week. Then, about a week before the trade deadline, Dunlap got his wish — the Bengals shipped him to the Seahawks in exchange for offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a draft pick.
Dunlap should help the 6-1 Seahawks generate more pressure against opposing quarterbacks, something they’ve struggled to do thus far in 2020. Despite his rocky first half with the Bengals, the veteran boasts 82.5 career sacks and plenty of ability on the edge.
COVID-19 Positive Closes 49ers Facility
The 49ers have closed their team facility after receiving their latest COVID-19 test results, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has tested positive for the coronavirus and it’s not immediately clear whether he’s the only player to do so. 
This news comes just one day before the 49ers’ scheduled game against the Packers. At this moment, the game is still slated to go ahead as scheduled at Levi’s Stadium.
The NFL continues to grapple with COVID-19 positives and protocols in place to protect its employees. On Tuesday, Broncos GM John Elway and CEO Joe Ellis both learned of new positive tests that will keep them away from the club in the coming days. Meanwhile, Packers running back AJ Dillon has already been ruled out for this week due to his test results. Dillon was also in close contact with fellow RB Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin, sending them to the reserve list.
During the preseason, the Niners placed wide receiver Richie James Jr., running back Jeff Wilson Jr. and linebacker Fred Warner on the COVID-19 list. Today’s news marks their first positive test since the start of the regular season.
Mychal Kendricks Returns To Seahawks Practice Squad
Mychal Kendricks will sign back with the Seahawks’ practice squad today, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Kendricks was released from the reserve group just yesterday with the intention of signing elsewhere. That deal fell through, Condotta hears, leading him right back to Seattle. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Cut TE Luke Willson]
Kendricks spent 2018 and 2019 with the Seahawks and played extensively alongside Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, with the team using its base defense frequently. Kendricks recovered from an injury that ended his ’18 season and started in 14 games last season, only to suffer an ACL tear in the regular season finale. After that, Kendricks embarked on a lengthy recovery and an extended stretch of free agency. The Seahawks then stashed him on the practice squad in mid-October.
The former six-year Eagles starter offers 91 pro starts and 19 sacks, despite being a career off-ball linebacker. Technically speaking, this will mark Kendricks’ fourth signed contract with the Seahawks.
Bears Release Ted Ginn
The Bears have released wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The move doesn’t come as a huge surprise given Ginn’s limited playing time as of late. 
[RELATED: Bears’ Javon Wims Suspended Two Games]
Last season, Ginn caught 30 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints. But, once New Orleans signed Emmanuel Sanders, Ginn was left to find work elsewhere. He inked a one-year deal with the Bears, where he went on to appear in six games this year. However, he did not play in Sunday’s loss to his old friends in New Orleans and he was hardly seen on the field throughout October.
The Bears had Ginn signed for the veteran salary benefit, worth $1.187MM. The release won’t have a major impact on their 2020 cap, but it will free up an extra spot on the active roster.
Ginn leaves Chicago with a stat line of three catches for 40 yards, plus five punt returns for 24 yards. Now in his 14th pro season, it’s not immediately clear whether he’ll hook on elsewhere. For what it’s worth, Ginn said he’s “still got a few more years left” back in April.
Titans Cut CB Johnathan Joseph
The Titans have released cornerback Johnathan Joseph, per a club announcement. The 36-year-old cornerback will now be free to sign with any club. 
Joseph agreed to a one-year deal with the Titans earlier this year, making him the NFL’s oldest corner in the 2020 season. The expectation was that Joseph could be a contributor, alongside fellow top Tennessee corners Malcolm Butler, Adoree’ Jackson, and second-round pick Kristian Fulton. At a $2MM salary, he was significantly cheaper than what Logan Ryan was seeking. Ultimately, he couldn’t match Ryan’s value.
Joseph played his lowest percentage of Houston’s defensive snaps last season, dropping to 58% after being a full-time player during his first eight seasons with the franchise. The Titans used him on 76% of their snaps this season, but his performance wasn’t up to snuff. Through seven games, Joseph logged 28 stops, one interception, one forced fumble, and four passes defensed.
Fun fact: Among active players, Joseph’s 32 interceptions trail only Richard Sherman‘s 35. As Sherman continues to sit on the 49ers’ IR list, Joseph could have a chance to leapfrog him, if he latches on elsewhere.