NFL, NFLPA To Change COVID-19 Protocols?
The NFL and NFLPA are discussing further changes to COVID-19 protocols based on the CDC’s latest guidance (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). If the two sides come to terms, the new isolation period for a person who tests positive will be just five days, down from the previous ten day mandate. 
[RELATED: Projected 2022 NFL Draft Order]
With the playoffs on the horizon, this would allow a vaccinated player who tests positive on a Monday to suit up on Sunday. It’s not yet clear if the same time period would apply to those who are unvaccinated, though the CDC has not issued separate guidelines for unvaccinated people.
The NFL moved to relax its restrictions earlier this month, though teams like the Saints still had to scramble for players in Week 16. And, just yesterday, the Panthers sent players home following a “somewhat significant” spike in positive tests. As of this writing, over 100 players are on the COVID-19/Reserve list in advance of the Week 17 slate.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/21
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: QB Matt Barkley
Detroit Lions
- Signed (from Rams PS): TE Jared Pinkney
- Promoted: LB Curtis Bolton
- Placed on IR: LB Josh Woods
- Designated for return: DE Jashon Cornell
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: C Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: P Logan Cooke
- Promoted: CB Brandon Rusnak
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: K Elliott Fry
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: QB Kyle Sloter
Saints Rework Marshon Lattimore’s Deal
The Saints have converted Marshon Lattimore’s $500K Likely To Be Earned (LTBE) All-Pro incentive into a roster bonus for 2022 (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). The move provides the Saints with an additional $500K in cap room for the current year while guaranteeing Lattimore’s bonus, whether or not he earns All-Pro honors. 
[RELATED: Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order]
Lattimore, 25, was named to the Pro Bowl just last week, his fourth nod in five years. Given his quality work, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him capture All-Pro honors for the first time in his career this year. Through 14 games, Lattimore has 62 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery while allowing a stingy 54.8% completion rate.
Historically, Pro Football Focus hasn’t always been high on Lattimore. In 2020, PFF’s metrics give him a 59.1 overall grade, good for just 70th out of 121 qualified players. This year, it’s a different story. The Ohio State product currently ranks 15th in the league with a solid 75.9 mark.
Yesterday’s ugly loss to the Dolphins dropped the Saints to 7-8, but they could still manage a Wild Card spot with wins over the Panthers and Falcons.
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
With two weeks to go, six NFL teams have formally clinched their playoff spot while eight teams (Seahawks, Giants, Bears, Panthers, Texans, Lions, Jets, and Jaguars) have been mathematically eliminated. Somehow, there is still a path for the 6-9 Washington Football Team to make the postseason, even though they’re currently slated to pick No. 9 overall in April.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
As we close out the calendar year and the 2021 regular season, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-13
2. Detroit Lions: 2-12-1
3. Houston Texans: 4-11
4. New York Jets: 4-11
5. New York Giants: 4-11
6. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
7. Carolina Panthers: 5-10
8. New York Giants (via Bears)
9. Washington Football Team: 6-9
10. Atlanta Falcons: 7-8
11. Denver Broncos: 7-8
12. Minnesota Vikings: 7-8
13. New Orleans Saints: 7-8
14. Cleveland Browns: 7-8
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-7-1
16. Los Angeles Chargers: 8-7
17. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-7
18. Baltimore Ravens: 8-7
19. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)*
20. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-7*
21. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
22. New England Patriots*
23. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
24. Arizona Cardinals: 10-5*
25. Buffalo Bills: 9-6*
26. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-6*
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11-4*
28. Detroit Lions (via Rams): 11-4*
29. Tennessee Titans: 10-5*
30. Dallas Cowboys: 11-4*
31. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-4*
32. Green Bay Packers: 12-3*
* = Playoffs
Lions, Halapoulivaati Vaitai Rework Deal
The Lions have carved out a little extra cap room with help from Halapoulivaati Vaitai. On Tuesday, the Lions converted $1.335MM of the offensive lineman’s base salary into a signing bonus, giving them an additional $1MM in space for the rest of the year (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
The Lions aren’t playing for much at this point, but they may need a few bodies to close out the year. If the season ended today, the Lions (2-12-1) would hold the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, behind only the 2-13 Jaguars.
Vaitai joined the Lions in the 2020 offseason, scoring a shockingly large five-year, $50MM deal. While quality offensive linemen are hard to find on the open market, no one expected that kind of deal for a player who had started just four games over the previous two years.
So far, the former Eagle hasn’t done much to justify his deal. Last year, he was limited to just ten games and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 51 ranked guard out of 80 qualified players. This year, it’s a similar story — he’s 49th out of 80. On the plus side, he’s been mostly healthy, starting in 14 games through 16 weeks.
The Lions will face the Seahawks on Sunday before wrapping the 2021 season against the Packers on Jan. 9.
Cardinals, Bashaud Breeland Deal On Hold
The Cardinals were set to sign cornerback Bashaud Breeland on Monday. Unfortunately, he tested for COVID-19 upon arrival, so his deal is currently on pause (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
The Cardinals still intend to sign Breeland, but they’ll have to wait until he clears the league’s protocols. The hope is that he’ll test negative in the coming days, allowing him to play against the Cowboys on Sunday and face the Seahawks in the regular season finale.
Robert Alford is done for the year thanks to his pectoral tear and Marco Wilson‘s shoulder could keep him sidelined on Sunday. If/when he signs, Breeland can offer support for Arizona’s ailing cornerback group.
Fortunately for the Cardinals, they’ve already clinched their postseason berth. The division is still in play, however, as they trail the Rams by just one game with two weeks to go.
Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson To Enter NFL Draft
Garrett Wilson is going pro. On Monday, the Ohio State wide receiver announced that he’ll forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. 
[RELATED: Nevada QB Carson Strong To Enter Draft]
“These last three years have been unforgettable and becoming a Buckeye has been the single greatest decision of my life,” said Wilson in a statement.
At 6’0″ and 188 pounds, scouts believe that Wilson’s ability could translate to the outside as well as the slot. In 2020, he put himself on the NFL radar with 43 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns in just eight games. This year, he’s elevated his stock with 70 grabs for 1,058 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, plus one rushing TD.
Rated as the No.1 wide receiver in this year’s class by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Wilson’s decision comes as no surprise. Of course, it’s still a tough pill to swallow for Buckeyes fans as Ohio State gears up for the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
Latest On Eagles’ Miles Sanders
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed that running back Miles Sanders broke a bone in his hand yesterday (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). That’ll rule him out for this week’s game against Washington, but there’s hope that he’ll be able to return sometime after that.
The Eagles cruised to a 34-10 win over the Giants yesterday, thanks in part to an efficient showing from Sanders. Before his early exit, the 24-year-old tallied 45 yards off of just seven carries. And, just last week against WFT, Sanders amassed 131 yards off of 18 totes. Through 12 games, Sanders has averaged 5.5 yards per carry, the highest mark of his young career.
At 8-7, the Eagles control their own destiny. They can clinch their playoff spot with wins over Washington and Dallas, but it’ll be a little tougher without Sanders. In the interim, they’ll lean on rookie Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Jordan Howard to keep the chains moving. Howard was also taken out of yesterday’s game with a stinger, but Sirianni says he could be cleared to play before Sunday afternoon.
Bears’ Matt Nagy Expects To Finish Season
It doesn’t seem likely that Matt Nagy will return as the Bears’ head coach in 2022. But, for the time being, Nagy is operating under the assumption that he’ll remain in place through the final two games of this season (Twitter link via Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune). 
[RELATED: NFL To Allow HC Interviews Starting Tuesday]
The league recently voted to allow head coaching interviews starting tomorrow, Dec. 28th. The Jaguars quickly took advantage of the new rule by firing Urban Meyer, leading many to speculate that Nagy could go as soon as this week. After all, chairman George McCaskey is already doing groundwork on candidates and even considering moving on from GM Ryan Pace.
Nagy may have earned a temporary reprieve on Sunday as the Bears beat the Seahawks, 25-24. After Nick Foles‘ game-tying touchdown drive, Nagy’s gutsy call to go for a two-point conversion paid off. It’s hard to imagine that the victory — win No. 5 for the Bears this year — will have a real impact on Nagy’s standing beyond this year. But, in theory, it could give Nagy another two games at the helm.
When/if Nagy is fired, the Bears could consider the likes of Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Cowboys OC Kellen Moore, and Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy for the role.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/27/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: OT Adrian Ealy
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DE Breeland Speaks
Carolina Panthers
- Released: K Alex Kessman
Denver Broncos
- Released: C Javon Patterson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: P Joseph Charlton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Braxton Hoyett, LB Justin March-Lillard, OT Kyle Murphy, DT Ethan Westbrooks
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DL Matt Dickerson