Bucs’ Shaq Barrett To Miss Time
Shaquil Barrett will miss the Buccaneers’ final two games with sprained MCL and ACL, head coach Bruce Arians announced (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). However, the team is hopeful that he’ll be good to go for the playoffs. 
[RELATED: Bucs’ Godwin Done For Year]
Barrett suffered a “slight strain” during yesterday’s 32-6 romp over the Panthers. Before his exit, he tallied four tackles and one sack, giving him 51 stops and ten sacks through 15 games.
Barrett immediately broke out after signing with the Bucs in 2019, leading the league in sacks that season with 19.5 and becoming a second-team All-Pro. Last year, he registered eight sacks with 57 tackles and finished on a high note, notching eight pressures in Super Bowl LV. After playing the 2020 season under the $15.8MM franchise tag, the Bucs rewarded him in March with a four-year, $72MM re-up.
The Bucs have already secured the NFC South, so they don’t necessarily need Barrett on the field for their last two games against the Jets and Panthers. All things considered, today’s news comes as a relief, especially after Chris Godwin‘s season-ending ACL tear.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/21
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed to active roster: OT Bobby Hart
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: RB James Robinson (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Kawaan Baker, QB Blake Bortles, G/C Will Clapp, LB Sharif Finch, LB Chase Hansen, DT Braxton Hoyett, OL Forrest Lamp, LB Justin March-Lillard, DB Jordan Miller, OT Kyle Murphy, DB Bryce Thompson, WR Easop Winston, DT Ethan Westbrooks, TE Ethan Wolf
Washington Football Team
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Larsen
Saints To Sign Ethan Westbrooks, Justin March-Lillard
The Saints are set to sign linebacker Justin March-Lillard and defensive tackle Ethan Westbrooks, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. Both players will be eligible for tonight’s game against the Dolphins.
The Saints were in desperate need of reinforcements after placing 20+ players on the COVID-19 list this week. Even when counting eligible practice squaders, that left the Saints with barely enough players to field a full 48-man active roster.
Westbrooks, 31, appeared in 61 games for the Rams between the 2015 and 2018 seasons, collecting 51 tackles, nine sacks, and one forced fumble. However, he hasn’t seen the field since that 2018 campaign. His last deal came with the Raiders, but he was released midway through the 2021 preseason.
March-Lillard, 28, has spent much of his seven-year career as a special teamer. So far this year, he’s appeared in just one game for the 49ers. Still, he could be thrust into action tonight as the Saints work with limited options.
Thanks to the NFL’s new protocols, the Saints could see some of their players cleared between now and kickoff. But, barring that, they’ll be at half-strength tonight as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive. A loss tonight would decrease their Wild Card chances to just 33%, per the stats at Five Thirty Eight.
Rams’ Ernest Jones To Miss Time?
The Rams believe that Ernest Jones has suffered a high-ankle sprain (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). For now, the linebacker is considered week-to-week, which could allow him to return for the playoffs.
Jones began the year as a special teams player before breaking into the starting lineup in late October. Through 15 games this season, he’s notched 61 tackles, two interceptions, and one sack. Unfortunately, he was forced out of yesterday’s game against the Vikings after just eleven snaps.
The Rams, who beat the Vikings 30-23 yesterday, are working to lock down the NFC West after clinching their playoff spot. They hope to have the third-round rookie in tow, especially given his progress in recent weeks.
“I think we got in some situations that really express his ability a little bit more,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said earlier this month (via the team website). “We were in more favorable down and distances for us defensively where they’re forced to kind of throw it. We get a lead and there’s was a lot of the stuff that we loved out of Ernest coming out of South Carolina. You get his feel his range, his ability to be able to sense things and diagnose them. I think our defensive staff has done a great job of just continuing to help him improve.”
Now at 11-4 on the year, the Rams will wrap the regular season with games against the Ravens and 49ers.
Torn Achilles For Jaguars’ James Robinson?
Update, 3:39 PM: Interim head coach Darrell Bevell has announced that running back James Robinson has indeed torn his Achilles today in the team’s loss to the Jets.
12:55 PM: Jaguars running back James Robinson appears to have suffered an Achilles tear (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Robinson will know more after an MRI, but this will likely cap his 2021 season. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Place Hyde, Jenkins On IR]
Robinson, 23, has been bright spot for the Jaguars in an otherwise tumultous year. Heading into today’s game, Robinson had 757 yards off of 161 carries (4.7 yards per tote) and eight rushing touchdowns through 13 contests. He also put up numbers as a pass catcher, tallying 31 grabs for 222 yards. It was a similar story last year — even as the Jaguars sagged, Robinson rushed for 1,070 yards, good for fifth in the NFL.
The Jaguars, losers of six straight, are in line for the No. 1 pick as of this writing. Even if they advance to 3-13 with a win over the Jets today, they’ll have little reason to put Robinson in danger.
Without further complications, Robinson should still be able to participate in training camp next year. As a restricted free agent, he’ll return as the Jaguars’ lead RB on an extremely under-market contract. The Jaguars will may add to that group, however, since Carlos Hyde can be released to save $2MM against just $450K in dead money.
5 Key Stories: 12/20/21 – 12/26/21
Been busy? Let’s get you caught up with a look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:
- Buccaneers’ Godwin Done For Year: Turns out, it was more than just an MCL sprain. On Monday, Chris Godwin was diagnosed with a torn ACL, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. The star wide receiver finishes the year with 98 catches for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns (as well as one rushing TD). It’s undoubtedly a bad blow for the Bucs, though they still have enough ammo to keep the chains moving, especially with the return of Antonio Brown. Lavonte David and Leonard Fournette were also placed on IR, but they remain eligible to return for the playoffs.
- Saints Asked Brees To Come Out Of Retirement: You can’t blame them for trying. After placing Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian on the COVID-19 list, the Saints asked Drew Brees if he’d be interested in a mid-season return. After some thought and a chat with head coach Sean Payton, Brees texted a picture of himself playing golf. Needless to say, Brees is quite happy in retirement. Those currently with the Saints — and not parked on the COVID list – will face the Dolphins on Monday night as they fight for a playoff berth.
- Titans Activate Brown For Week 16: A.J. Brown is back. The wide receiver — who had been out for several weeks with a chest injury – was brought back in time for Thursday night’s game against the Niners. Brown showed zero signs of rust as he tallied eleven catches for 145 yards and a touchdown.
- Titans’ Henry To Return For Week 18?: Derrick Henry, once thought to be done for the year, is expected to play in Round 1. In theory, if the Titans still have a shot at a first-round bye, the star running back could even suit up for Week 18. Whether or not they deploy him in the season finale, that’s an encouraging sign for the Titans as they head into the New Year.
- Colts Place Nelson On Reserve/COVID-19 List: Without Quenton Nelson, the Colts had to go without their starting interior line on Saturday against the Cardinals. Still, thanks to a pair of missed field goals and Carson Wentz‘s fourth-quarter TD, the Colts pulled off the 22-16 win.
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Ruled Out
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been ruled out for today’s game against the Steelers (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). There was hope yesterday that he could be cleared in time, but Kelce ultimately did not test out the league’s COVID-19 protocol. 
[RELATED: Chiefs’ Hill Cleared To Play]
Tyreek Hill was given the green light on Saturday, but Kelce, linebacker Nick Bolton, and offensive tackle Lucas Niang will have to sit this game out. Fortunately for the Chiefs, they more or less have their playoff spot clinched and the AFC West title in hand. Still, a loss today coupled with a Patriots victory over the Bills would hurt their chances of a first-round bye.
Kelce, 32, has 83 catches for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns so far this year. Just last week, he earned yet another Pro Bowl nod, giving him seven for his career.
The Chiefs, sans Kelce, will look to backup TEs Blake Bell and Noah Gray for blocking as they look for their eleventh win of the year.
Giants’ Joe Judge Likely To Return
The Giants figure to have a new GM in 2022, but they’re likely to keep their head coach. Co-owner John Mara still plans to retain Joe Judge for next year, according to sources who spoke with SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. 
[RELATED: Giants To Consider Kevin Abrams As Next GM]
“A few weeks ago I would’ve told you no chance he gets fired,” said one source. “Now? Even after (the Giants’ 37-21 loss to the Chargers on Sunday), I’d probably still say ‘No chance.’ (Mara) loves Judge. He thinks he’s found his (Bill) Belichick or (Bill) Parcells. And there’s just no way he gives up on another coach this soon.”
As Vacchiano notes, co-owner Steve Tisch will also have final word on the matter, but this jibes with what we’ve been hearing in recent weeks. Despite his 10-20 record since taking over as head coach, the Giants plan to stay patient with Judge — something they didn’t do with predecessors Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur. Judge, for his part, says he’s on board with that plan.
“I’ve said this from the beginning: I’m not interested in having some kind of quick flash,” Judge said. “I’m not interested in shortcuts. I’m not interested in quick fixes. I want to do this the right way. When I took this job I made it very, very clear that I was only going to do this if we’re all committed to doing this the right way. And that’s something that’s been very clear from ownership on down.”
The Giants, down to 4-10 on the year, will wrap their season with games against the Eagles, Bears, and the Washington Football Team.
Rams Activate Cam Akers
The Rams have officially activated running back Cam Akers, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Akers, who tore his Achilles tendon just five months ago, might not be able to play over the next few weeks, but the move will allow him to accumulate pension credit for the season (Twitter link). 
Even if Akers doesn’t get into the Rams’ upcoming games against the Vikings, Ravens, and 49ers, it’s an encouraging sign for his postseason availability. Once thought to be done for the season, Akers will be able to slot somewhere behind Darrell Henderson in January.
“If you watched him do stuff with the performance staff (Thursday), you would think he could carry the ball 40 times on Sunday,” GM Les Snead said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). “The plan is to implement him back into practice settings and make sure he can make football moves, rather than just observing. And from there, it’s how that Achilles recovers. We’ll be smart about it.”
Akers served as the Rams’ primary back down the stretch of last season and he started in both their postseason games. His first late-season start, against the Patriots, saw 171 rushing yards and nearly 200 all-purpose yards. Then, in the Wild Card win against the Seahawks, he managed 131 yards on the ground.
The Rams have little reason to rush Akers on to the field today, but he’ll be cheering his teammates on as they look to hold the top spot in the NFC West.
Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill Cleared To Play
The Chiefs will have Tyreek Hill in uniform for tomorrow’s game against the Steelers (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Meanwhile, they’re still awaiting word on tight end Travis Kelce, who has yet to be given the green light. 
The Chiefs have, for all intents and purposes, punched their ticket to the playoffs as well as the AFC West title. Still, they’re pushing to lock up a first-round bye over the next few weeks. A loss to the Steelers, coupled with a Pats win, would knock them out of the lead.
Hill, 27, has 102 catches for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns through 14 games. Kelce’s also in the midst of a strong year with 83 catches for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns. If he’s not cleared in time, this will mark his first missed game of the year and just his third missed game since 2014. If Kelce can’t go, the Chiefs will lean on backup tight ends Blake Bell and Noah Gray for blocking support.