NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/19/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Adrian Colbert
NFL COVID List Updates
We are trying our best here at Pro Football Rumors to keep up with all of the updates throughout the league concerning players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A lot of teams had high hopes during today’s testing as they were trying to get players activated in time for Sunday’s slate of games.
Here are updates as of 8:30 PM ET, Sat 12/18:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chris Westry, WR Sammy Watkins
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Eddie Goldman
- OC Bill Lazor, DC Sean Desai, STC Chris Tabor in COVID-19 protocols
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Takkarist McKinley
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T James Hudson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Trysten Hill, DT Osa Odighizuwa
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DB Bobby Price, DB Tracy Walker
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jonathan Greenard, G Lane Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Zaire Franklin
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Antwaun Woods
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Darrell Henderson, CB Donte Deayon, TE Brycen Hopkins, OL Alaric Jackson, OLB Justin Hollins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Joseph Noteboom, CB Robert Rochell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jevon Holland
Minnesota Vikings
- Four Coaches in COVID-19 protocols
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Xavier McKinney
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Folorunso Fatukasi, Practice Squad LB Noah Dawkins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Breshad Perriman
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jonathan Allen, DE James Smith-Williams, DE Casey Toohill, DE Montez Sweat
Vikings Waive Bashaud Breeland
The Vikings have waived cornerback Bashaud Breeland, per a club announcement. The comes just hours after the team listed Breeland as questionable for this week’s game due to non-injury reasons.
Breeland “got into a verbal altercation” with coaches at Saturday’s practice, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Apparently, the veteran took off his cleats at some point during the fracas and got into it with teammates who were trying to restore order. After that, the Vikings acted fast to hand Breeland his pink slip.
After two seasons with the Chiefs, Breeland spent much of the offseason in free agency limbo. Finally, in June, the Vikings signed him to a one-year, $4MM deal. It’s worth noting that the Bears and the incumbent Chiefs were also in the mix.
The 29-year-old (30 in January) graded out as a midlevel corner in 2020, slotting him 57th at the position. This year, PFF has him ranked as one of the worst among all qualified corners — 117 out of 119. Teammate Mackensie Alexander, also in the midst of a rough year, is tied for dead last.
Breeland’s Minnesota run will end with 63 tackles and two interceptions across 13 games. The Vikings, sans Breeland, will face the Bears on Monday night in a game that could make or break their playoff hopes.
Saints Place Garrett Griffin On IR
The Saints will place tight end Garrett Griffin on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Griffin will have to miss a minimum of three games, per league rules, but the Saints hope to have him back on the field for Week 18. In the meantime, they’ll activate Adam Trautman for additional depth against the Buccaneers.
[RELATED: Saints HC Sean Payton To Miss Sunday’s Game]
Griffin has seen time in 13 games this season, more action than his previous three years combined. Used mostly for his blocking ability, the 6’4″, 240-pound tight end has four catches for 39 yards this year. The Saints clobbered the Jets last week to snap their five-game losing streak and stay alive at 6-7. They might be in a better spot today, if not for an iffy penalty called on Griffin against the Cowboys earlier this month. Regardless, they still have a 19% chance of pulling out a Wild Card spot, per the odds at Five Thirty Eight.
Saints head coach Sean Payton will also be absent from this week’s game, following his positive test for COVID-19. In his stead, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will serve as the HC on Sunday.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: RB Chase Edmonds, S Charles Washington
- Placed on IR: WR DeAndre Hopkins, CB Robert Alford
- Promoted: CB Kevin Peterson, LB Joe Walker
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DB Erik Harris
- Promoted: LB Dorian Etheridge, DB Shawn Williams
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DB Robert Jackson, S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, C Adam Redmond, T David Sharpe
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- Promoted: QB Reggie Bonnafon, WR Willie Snead
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: OG D’Ante Smith, DB Trae Waynes (story)
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones, WR Trent Taylor
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Willie Harvey Jr., DE Porter Gustin
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: DT Justin Hamilton, RB Jaquan Hardy, DB Darian Thompson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DB A.J. Parker
- Promoted: LB Curtis Bolton, RB Craig Reynolds, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Shawn Davis, DE Abdullah Anderson, G Cole Van Lanen
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Jordan Jenkins
- Promoted: S Grayland Arnold, LB Connor Strachan, WR Jordan Veasy, DB T.J. Green, FB Paul Quessenberry, DL Chris Smith, OL Jordan Steckler
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: DT Antwaun Woods
- Promoted: DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Anthony Hines, WR Brandon Powell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: C Greg Mancz
- Promoted: WR Tommylee Lewis
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale, C James Ferentz, RB Devine Ozigbo
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: TE Adam Trautman
- Placed on IR: TE Garrett Griffin (story)
- Promoted: G Forrest Lamp, WR Easop Winston
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, LB Jaylon Smith, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: RB Michael Carter, T Chuma Edoga, DE Bryce Huff, TE Tyler Kroft
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Daniel Brown, WR Vyncint Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: RB Brian Hill, DB Jarrod Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: TE Tory Carter
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/18/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB Ryan Willis
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Bryan Mills
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Delrick Abrams, OT Adrian Ealy, C Drake Jackson, TE Kyle Markway, C Austin Reiter, DB Damarious Randall, K Ryan Santoso, LS Carson Tinker
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Sam Beal
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DB D.J. Hayden
Raiders-Browns Moved To Monday
1:23pm: The game has indeed been postponed to Monday, reports Josina Anderson (via Twitter).
12:58pm: The NFL and the NFLPA may move to reschedule tomorrow’s game between the Raiders and Browns (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com). The two sides may render a decision in the next hour, since the Raiders are on the verge of flying to Cleveland. 
[RELATED: Browns’ Clowney Tests Positive For COVID-19]
The game would likely be moved to Monday or Tuesday, giving the Browns an opportunity to get their ~20 COVID-19 positive players on the field. Both Baker Mayfield and backup quarterback Case Keenum are in that group. Ditto for Jadeveon Clowney, who tested positive on Friday morning.
If the game is not rescheduled, the Browns are expected to start Nick Mullens under center. He would be backstopped by two new QBs in Jake Dolegala and Kyle Lauletta.
This latest development marks a big departure from Roger Goodell‘s comments just a couple of days ago.
“There has not been any discussion about that,” Goodell said Wednesday when asked about the possibility of rescheduling Raiders-Browns (via USA Today). “We feel confident that with continuing changes and adaptations through our protocols that we can (play).”
Browns’ Jadeveon Clowney Tests Positive For COVID-19
Two more Browns players are looking doubtful for this week. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.com (on Twitter). And, earlier today, the Browns announced that linebacker Mack Wilson has also tested positive. 
With Clowney added to the list, the Browns are likely down to eleven healthy starters for tomorrow’s game against the Raiders. The league’s new COVID-19 rules could allow some players in the group to be cleared in time, but it doesn’t seem likely with ~24 hours until game time.
Clowney has started in all 12 of his games this year and, for the most part, looks to have rebounded well from his latest knee surgery. So far, he’s got 29 tackles and five sacks — two more sacks than he had in 2019 and 2020 combined. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus has him ranked as just the 45th best edge defender in the league. Regardless, the Browns can ill afford to play without him (and the other ~20 players on the COVID-19 list) as they push for a playoff spot.
Wilson, 23, has appeared in 13 games this season, including five starts. He’s got 40 tackles on the year, giving him 161 stops across the last three seasons.
Bills’ Dion Dawkins Tests Positive For COVID-19
Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins has tested positive for COVID-19, head coach Sean McDermott tells WGR 550 (Twitter link via Albert Breer of The MMQB). Unless Dawkins can pass a follow-up test between now and Sunday, he’ll be held out of this week’s game against the Panthers.
[RELATED: NFL Updates COVID-19 Protocols]
At 7-6, the Bills are jockeying for a Wild Card spot and still chasing the Patriots for the AFC East crown. Playing without Dawkins, the team’s starting left tackle since 2017, would obviously put them at a disadvantage.
Dawkins could be cleared in time, thanks to the league’s new protocols, but his medical history could also be a factor. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman was hospitalized for four days this summer after developing severe COVID-19 symptoms. He lost 16 pounds during that stretch, so he may prefer to exercise caution.
Dawkins has been first string for all 13 of his games this year, giving him 72 career starts for Buffalo out of 77 total games. Even though this is his worst year to date, per the metrics at Pro Football Focus, he’s still ranked 45th among all qualified tackles. Last year, Dawkins placed 14th with an overall score of 80.6.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/21
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Andy Dalton and CB Duke Shelly
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Elijah Wilkinson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: QB Kyle Lauletta, QB Jake Dolegala (story)
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cedrick Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Placed on Injured Reserve: TE T.J. Hockenson
Houston Texans
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Justin McCray
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: LB Malik Jefferson
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: G Jamil Demby, DB Grant Haley, TE Tyler Higbee, LB Justin Lawler
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List: RB Mark Ingram
New York Giants
- Promoted: DT David Moa
Washington Football Team
- Signed: QB Garrett Gilbert (story)
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Daniel Wise