NFL COVID List Updates: 12/21/21
Once again, we’ve had a busy day of moves on and off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Here are the players who were placed on the list or activated off of it today:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: Practice Squad CB Cornell Armstrong, Practice Squad OLB Quinton Bell
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: Practice Squad WR Binjimen Victor
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Pernell McPhee
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cole Beasley
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Artie Burns, DB Duke Shelley (remains on IR)
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Bilal Nichols
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Clay Johnston
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Mike Boone, Practice Squad WR Seth Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jaleel Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Blake Bell, LB Nick Bolton, DB Rashad Fenton, WR Tyreek Hill, G Kyle Long, T Lucas Niang, DB Armani Watts
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Chase Daniel, DE Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Von Miller, LB Christian Rozeboom
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Danielle Hunter, WR Dede Westbrook, WR Trishton Jackson
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Dalton Keene (remains on IR)
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Juwan Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Mike White
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Michael Carter, G Alijah Vera-Tucker
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Troy Apke
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Sammis Reyes, DT Tim Settle
Bills Place WR Beasley On COVID-19 List
Cole Beasley was placed on the Bills’ Reserve/COVID-19 list today according to a tweet from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The slew of moves to and from the Reserve/COVID-19 list has been dizzying as the omicron variant makes its way through the league. What makes Beasley’s case significant is not only his impact as the second leading receiver in Buffalo, but also his status as an unvaccinated player in the NFL.
A vaccinated player who tests positive and is asymptomatic will be isolated and contact tracing will occur, same as an unvaccinated player. The rules for returning are different.
According to the original protocol, a vaccinated player would be permitted to return from a positive test when he returns two negative tests that occur at least 24-hours apart. The new protocol provides a series of new combinations of single negative tests and cycle threshold readings that could potentially return a player as early as one day after a positive test. After that, the player will be tested every week, unless otherwise directed by medical staff. An unvaccinated player who tests positive will be isolated for a period of 10 days and permitted to return if asymptomatic. The unvaccinated player will continue with the unvaccinated protocol of being tested everyday upon their return.
As one of the more outspoken unvaccinated players, we now know that if Beasley was placed on the list for a positive test, as opposed to having had close contact with an infected individual, he will miss the Bills’ upcoming game in Foxborough. I don’t know the specifics of how strict the five-day quarantine period is for if he was placed on the list merely for having close contact, and if that could potentially allow him to return on the fifth day and play, but it’s possible that being unvaccinated will cause Beasley to miss this weekend’s game regardless.
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
Have you been waiting all day for Tuesday night? Thanks to COVID rescheduling, we still have two games to go in Week 15. While the Eagles, Rams, and the Washington Football Team are all jockeying for postseason berths/positioning, the Seahawks are — for all intents and purposes — out of playoff contention.
If the season ended today, the Seahawks would own a top ten pick…that is, if they owned it. The Jets, who hold the Seahawks’ 2022 first-round pick by way of the Jamal Adams trade, will be cheering for the Rams tonight.
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.
Before the games begin, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
- Detroit Lions (2-11-1)
- Houston Texans (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- New York Giants (via Bears)
- New York Giants (4-10)
- Carolina Panthers (5-9)
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
- Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
- Washington Football Team (6-7)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Denver Broncos (7-7)
- New Orleans Saints (7-7)
- Cleveland Browns (7-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-7)*
- Buffalo Bills (8-6)*
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)*
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)*
- Tennessee Titans (9-5)*
- Arizona Cardinals (10-4)*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4)*
- New England Patriots (9-5)*
- Dallas Cowboys (10-4)*
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)*
- Green Bay Packers (11-3)*
* = Playoffs
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Nate Hall
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chad Hansen
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Evin Ksiezarczyk
Carolina Panthers
- Released: RB Jacques Patrick
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Tegray Scales
Denver Broncos
- Signed: QB Anthony Gordon, TE Caleb Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Josh Watson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Released: CB Darqueze Dennard
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: C Drake Jackson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Dylan Mabin
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Freedom Akinmoladun, G Isaiah Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G Nathan Gilliam
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/20/21
A long list of players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. We listed the players who landed on the list today, as well as those who were activated off the list:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Justin Houston, DB Jimmy Smith, WR Sammy Watkins
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE A.J. Epenesa, G Jon Feliciano
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Tashaun Gipson, DB Jaylon Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jadeveon Clowney
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S John Johnson, G Wyatt Teller
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Quintez Cephus, QB Jared Goff (story), OT Matt Nelson
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, RB Jamaal Williams
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Maliek Collins, DE Jonathan Greenard, DE Jacob Martin, DE Derek Rivers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Harrison Butker, TE Travis Kelce (st0ry), DB Charvarius Ward
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Joe Fortson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Joey Bosa (story), DB Tevaughn Campbell, DB Kemon Hall, C Corey Linsley, DB Trey Marshall, WR Andre Roberts, LB Chris Rumph
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Rashawn Slater
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Tremayne Anchrum, OT Bobby Evans, LB Troy Reeder, CB Robert Rochell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Justin Coleman
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Phillip Lindsay, WR Jaylen Waddle
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Harvey Langi, LB Cameron McGrone, DE Ronnie Perkins
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Keion Crossen
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE John Franklin-Myers, DB Sharrod Neasman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Landon Dickerson, OT Andre Dillard
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer, DE Kerry Hyder, NT Bryan Mone, DB D.J. Reed, OT Brandon Shell
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Elijah Molden
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Brandon Scherff (story)
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Matt Ioannidis
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on COVID-19 list: OT Bobby Hart, DE Mike Love
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: P Drue Chrisman
- Released: CB Holton Hill
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: WR Osirus Mitchell
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Peter Kalambayi
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: QB Danny Etling
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Delrick Abrams, OT Adrian Ealy, C Drake Jackson, TE Kyle Markway, OL Austin Reiter
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Isaiah Williams
- Placed on COVID-19 list: CB Lamar Jackson, DL Tanzel Smart, WR Vyncint Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from COVID-19 list: RB Jason Huntley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from COVID-19 list: CB Linden Stephens
- Released: CB Isaiah Johnson
- Placed on COVID-19 list: OL Malcolm Pridgeon
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on COVID-19 list: CB Michael Jackson, G Pier-Olivier Lestage
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: TE David Wells
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: LB Pernell McPhee
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: OL Jacob Capra
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OT Germain Ifedi
- Placed on IR: DB DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Promoted: DB Thomas Graham Jr., DB Michael Joseph, DB BoPete Keyes, DL LaCale London, WR Dazz Newsome, LB Charles Snowden, DB Dee Virgin, WR Nsimba Webster
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie (ACL)
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, DE Joe Jackson, G Hjalte Froholdt, RB John Kelly, CB Herb Miller, S Jovante Moffatt, S Tedric Thompson
- Signed to active roster: OT Alex Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: DE Azur Kamara
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: K Elliott Fry
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: CB Trayvon Mullen
- Activated from IR: TE Nick Bowers
- Promoted: G Lester Cotton, WR Tyron Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed off waivers: CB Essang Bassey (from Broncos)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: WR Landen Akers
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: RB Duke Johnson (story), S Sheldrick Redwine
- Waived: S Will Parks
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: S Myles Dorn, WR Myron Mitchell, CB Tye Smith
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: QB Jarren Williams
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: OT Sam Cosmi
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/21
Given the recent surge of COVID-19 cases throughout the league, we expected to see more roster churning today than we typically would on a December Sunday. Here are today’s minor (and not so minor) moves. This page will, of course, be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jimmy Smith
- Promoted: DB Mazzi Wilkins
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Jon Feliciano
- Promoted: OL Jacob Capra
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jadeveon Clowney (story)
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Wyatt Teller
- Promoted: OT Alex Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jason Huntley, WR Quez Watkins
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cam Sims, DT Daniel Wise
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.
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
The Chiefs (9-4) and Chargers (8-5) are getting set to kick off Week 15 in a matchup that could decide the AFC West crown. Meanwhile, more than one-quarter of the NFL’s teams have either been mathematically or effectively eliminated from playoff contention.
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. (Ex: Washington would own the No. 19 pick if they were eliminated in the Wild Card round with the worst record of the group.)
With that in mind, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
1. Detroit Lions (1-11-1)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11)
3. Houston Texans (2-11)
4. New York Jets (3-10)
5. New York Giants (via Bears)
6. New York Giants (4-9)
7. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
8. Carolina Panthers (5-8)
9. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
12. Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
13. New Orleans Saints (6-7)
14. Las Vegas Raiders (6-7)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1)
16. Denver Broncos (7-6)
17. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
18. Cleveland Browns (7-6)
19. Washington Football Team (6-7)*
20. Buffalo Bills (7-6)*
21. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
22. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
23. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)*
24. Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
25. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)*
26. Dallas Cowboys (9-4)*
27. Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)*
28. Arizona Cardinals (10-3)*
29. Tennessee Titans (9-4)*
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3)*
31. New England Patriots (9-4)*
32. Green Bay Packers (10-3)*
* = Playoffs