Bengals’ Trae Waynes Lands On Virus List
The Bengals will not have their highest-paid cornerback available against the Chiefs on Sunday. Trae Waynes is now on Cincinnati’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
This will mark yet another absence for Waynes, who has struggled to stay on the field since signing a big-ticket contract with the Bengals last year. Waynes missed all of last season because of a torn pectoral muscle and was down nearly three months this year due to a hamstring injury.
The former first-round pick has played in just four games since signing a three-year, $42MM deal with the Bengals in March 2020. Waynes returned from injury in Week 15 and started against the Broncos. However, Eli Apple started over him against the Ravens, with Chidobe Awuzie back after missing the Denver trip due to a positive coronavirus test. Waynes is due to count $16MM against the Bengals’ cap in 2022.
Wide receiver Trenton Irwin also landed on Cincinnati’s COVID list. Other than this Friday news, the Bengals are fairly healthy going into their matchup against the Chiefs. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen resides on the team’s virus list but has a chance to clear protocols by Sunday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/31/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DB Rojesterman Farris, DL Carlo Kemp
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LS Kyle Nelson
- Released: DT Da’Shawn Hand
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL D.J. Fluker, S Bradley McDougald
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: C Cohl Cabral
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/21
The final minor moves roundup of 2021:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Rick Leonard
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, WR Travis Fulgham, OLB Pita Taumoepenu, WR Seth Williams
Houston Texans
- Released: DT Xavier Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: P J.K. Scott
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: QB Nate Sudfeld
Washington Football Team
- Signed: P Ryan Winslow
Ravens Place OL Tyre Phillips On IR
Tyre Phillips‘ season has most likely come to an end. The Ravens placed the offensive lineman on injured reserve today. Phillips will be out for the rest of the season unless Baltimore makes a playoff run.
The Mississippi State product quickly established himself as a viable starter during his rookie season, starting eight of his 12 games. Phillips was expected to serve as the team’s starting left guard in 2021, but he’s battled a number of injuries throughout the season. He was carted off the field during Baltimore’s Week 1 loss, forcing him to miss four games.
He’s appeared in the each of the Ravens’ last nine games, but he’s seen inconsistent playing time. Phillips has started four games since his return, filling in for Patrick Mekari at offensive tackle. However, in his other five appearances, he’s been limited to only 92 offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his performance this year, ranking him 78th among 84 eligible offensive tackles.
Phillips suffered a knee injury in mid-December that forced him to miss Week 16. He’ll likely return to full health and should compete for the starting left guard gig with third-round rookie Ben Cleveland (per Ryan Mink of the team’s website).
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/21
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted to active roster: TE Stephen Sullivan
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: DT Josiah Bronson
Houston Texans
- Extended: S Grayland Arnold and DE Ron’Dell Carter
Miami Dolphins
- Designated for return: OT Greg Little
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: S Joshuah Bledsoe
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/30/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on Practice Squad IR: RB Nate McCrary
Buffalo Bills
- Released: RB Antonio Williams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LS Colin Holba
Cleveland Browns
- Released: K Chris Naggar
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR David Moore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OL Nico Falah and OL Brett Heggie
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Josh Adams
New York Giants
- Waived: LB Trent Harris
New York Jets
- Returned to Practice Squad: WR Vyncint Smith and DE Hamilcar Rashed
- Released: S Elijah Benton and WR Isaiah Zuber
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Darrius Shepherd
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Paul Adams and DB Shyheim Carter
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/30/21
Here are Thursday’s reserve/COVID-19 list updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T D.J. Humphries
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on virus list: OL Jason Spriggs
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from virus list: QB Tyler Huntley, S Tony Jefferson, DL Justin Madubuike
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from virus list: OL Cody Ford, CB Cam Lewis
- Activated from practice squad virus list: TE Quintin Morris
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from virus list: CB Rashaan Melvin
- Placed on virus list: DE Darryl Johnston, S Kenny Robinson
- Placed on practice squad virus list: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from virus list: DE Wyatt Ray, DT D.J. Reader
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from virus list: DT Jordan Elliott, K Chase McLaughlin, CB Greg Newsome II, C J.C. Tretter
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from virus list: CB Jourdan Lewis
- Placed on practice squad virus list: CB Kyron Brown, S Tyler Coyle
Denver Broncos
- Placed on virus list: CB Bryce Callahan, CB Mike Ford, T Bobby Massie, OLB Stephen Weatherly
Detroit Lions
- Placed on virus list: WR Kalif Raymond
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on virus list: OL Elgton Jenkins and LB Randy Ramsey
Houston Texans
- Placed on virus list: WR Danny Amendola
- Activated from virus list: DB A.J. Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from virus list: LB Darius Leonard, WR Zach Pascal, S Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on virus list: OL Will Richardson, S Andrew Wingard
- Placed on practice squad virus list: RB B.J. Emmons
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from virus list: WR Bryan Edwards
- Placed on virus list: DE Carl Nassib, G Jordan Simmons
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from virus list: LB Emeke Egbule, WR Mike Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from virus list: T Andrew Whitworth
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on virus list: LB Nick Vigil
New England Patriots
- Placed on virus list: T Yodny Cajuste
- Activated from virus list: DL Deatrich Wise
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on virus list: C Erik McCoy
- Activated from virus list: DE Carl Granderson, Jalyn Holmes
New York Giants
- Placed on practice squad virus list: LB Omari Cobb
New York Jets
- Activated from virus list: S Ashtyn Davis, G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, DE John Franklin-Myers, G Alijah Vera-Tucker
- Placed on virus list: RB Tevin Coleman
- Activated from practice squad virus list: DE Hamilcar Rashed, WR Vyncint Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from virus list: LB Shaun Bradley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from virus list: LB Marcus Allen
- Placed on virus list: CB Arthur Maulet
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on virus list: G Damien Lewis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from virus list: DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from virus list: G Nate Davis, CB Caleb Farley; Farley remains on IR
Washington Football Team
- Placed on virus list: T Sam Cosmi, P Tress Way
- Placed on practice squad virus list: QB Kyle Shurmur
- Activated from virus list: DE Nate Orchard
- Activated from practice squad virus list: G Zack Bailey
Giants Place T Matt Peart On IR
The Giants will not have one of their tackles available for a while. While they placed Matt Peart on IR on Thursday, the second-year blocker will be shut down well into the offseason.
Peart suffered a torn ACL during the Giants’ Week 16 game against the Eagles. The 2020 third-round pick was starting in place of Nate Solder, who was out after a positive COVID-19 test.
This could impact the Giants’ plans at right tackle. Solder is due to be a free agent in March, thanks to a reworked contract. His 2020 opt-out changed the Giants’ offensive line approach, sliding Andrew Thomas to left tackle. Peart played 22% of the Giants’ offensive snaps last season and upped that to 43% this year. Peart made five starts this season.
While Peart probably factors into the Giants’ post-2021 plans, his stock will take a hit because of this injury and the franchise being set to move on from GM Dave Gettleman. The Giants have dealt with considerable issues up front this season, having played without interior-line starters Shane Lemieux and Nick Gates. Both starters suffered severe injuries, with Gates’ September setback a possible career-ender. Beyond Thomas, not much is certain about the Giants’ offensive front beyond this season.
The Giants also activated Solder from the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday but moved tackle Korey Cunningham and wide receiver Darius Slayton to the virus list. Cunningham had replaced Peart at right tackle in Philadelphia. The Giants also placed running back Gary Brightwell on IR.
Packers’ Randall Cobb Returns To Practice
Randall Cobb might not be out for the regular season’s remainder. Despite undergoing core surgery earlier this month, Cobb is back at Packers practice Thursday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic tweets.
After going on IR, the 11th-year wide receiver has missed the minimum three games. Cobb’s availability for the rest of the season was in doubt, so a quick practice return is a great sign for his availability going forward.
This is interesting considering Matt LaFleur called Cobb’s injury “pretty significant” just three weeks ago. Cobb’s surgery features roughly an eight-week recovery timetable, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Even a return for a divisional-round game would represent a swift rehab effort. Because Cobb came back to practice Thursday, he must be activated ahead of a divisional-round contest. Otherwise, he reverts to season-ending IR.
While Aaron Rodgers has once again relied on Davante Adams, Cobb has delivered in spots in his second Green Bay stint. He caught two touchdown passes against the Steelers and Cardinals, respectively, being a vital presence in the latter contest that featured the rest of Green Bay’s top receivers out due to COVID-19 protocols. In Cobb’s most recent outing, against the Rams, he caught four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
This season, Cobb has 28 receptions for 395 yards and five touchdowns. He would stand to be a key weapon for a Packers team alongside Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard come playoff time.
Colts Designate Parris Campbell For Return
Injuries have defined Parris Campbell‘s NFL career thus far. His latest, however, may not keep him out for the rest of this season. Campbell returned to practice Thursday, Colts owner Jim Irsay tweets.
A former second-round pick, Campbell has spent most of this season rehabbing from foot surgery. The Colts’ would-be slot receiver sustained the injury in Week 6, but it looks like he could meet the rehab timetable initially provided.
Campbell missed nine games as a rookie and was absent for 14 last season. He suffered a knee injury in September 2020 that knocked him out of his sophomore NFL campaign. While Campbell recovered from that PCL issue this offseason, he has missed nine more games due to the foot problem.
Prior to his latest setback, Campbell caught a 51-yard touchdown pass in the Colts’ Week 6 win over the Texans. The Ohio State product, if healthy, would stand to be a nice auxiliary weapon for Indianapolis.
Campbell’s health history obviously makes him a luxury target for the Colts. His injuries and T.Y. Hilton‘s expiring contract will make wide receiver a need for the Colts in 2022, but they will at least be a bit deeper at the position once Campbell suits up again this season.