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
Rams To Place RB Darrell Henderson, LB Ernest Jones On IR
Darrell Henderson is heading to the IR. The Rams running back suffered an MCL sprain that will require a stint on the injured reserve, head coach Sean McVay told reporters (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic on Twitter).
After seeing significantly more playing time during his second season in the NFL, Henderson was expected to be a workhorse for the Rams in 2021. The 24-year-old has been productive in his 12 games (10 starts), collecting 864 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 178 touches.
However, Henderson seemed to be behind Sony Michel on the depth chart once the former returned from his recent two-game absence. Michel saw time on 73 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 15, while Henderson only played in 27 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps. Henderson got into only five snaps yesterday before exiting with his injury. With Henderson out of the picture, Michel will likely continue to lead the depth chart, although the team could welcome back Cam Akers on Sunday. The 2020 second-round pick had 748 yards from scrimmage during his rookie campaign, but a torn Achilles has forced him to miss most of the 2021 season.
Linebacker Ernest Jones will also be placed on IR with a high ankle sprain, per Rodrigue (on Twitter). Jones will require surgery on the injury, but there’s a chance he returns for the playoffs. The rookie third-round pick has started seven of his 15 games this season, compiling 61 tackles, one sack, and two interceptions.
Cardinals To Sign CB Bashaud Breeland
After getting cut by the Vikings earlier this month, Bashaud Breeland has found his new home. The veteran cornerback is signing with the Cardinals, reports Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Breeland auditioned for Arizona earlier today.
Breeland spent much of the offseason in free agency limbo before finally inking a one-year, $4MM deal with the Vikings in June. The 29-year-old collected 63 tackles and two interceptions across 13 games for Minnesota, although PFF had him ranked as one of the worst among all qualified corners.
Breeland “got into a verbal altercation” with Vikings coaches during a practice earlier this month, and the defensive back reportedly got into it with teammates who were trying to restore order. Minnesota was quick to release the veteran, making him a free agent once he passed through waivers.
The cornerback was serviceable as recently as 2020, when PFF ranked him as a middle-of-the-road player at his position. He could have a chance to contribute if Marco Wilson is forced to miss time; the cornerback was knocked out of yesterday’s loss to the Colts with a shoulder injury.
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
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.
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/25-12/26/21
We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Christmas and today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyeler Davison
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Justice Hill, QB Tyler Huntley
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Dion Dawkins
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Rashaan Melvin, WR Brandon Zylstra
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Chidobe Awuzie
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Wyatt Ray, NT D.J. Reader
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Alex Taylor
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Kevin King
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, LB Christian Kirksey, DE Jacob Martin, C Justin McCray, DB Terrance Mitchell
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Darius Leonard, WR Zach Pascal, DB Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jordan Smith, LB Myles Jack
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Nick Bolton, WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce, T Lucas Niang
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Bryan Edwards, QB Marcus Mariota
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mike Williams, RB Austin Ekeler
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Andrew Whitworth
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Solomon Kindley, WR Albert Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Sean Mannion, T Rashod Hill
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Deatrich Wise
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Carl Granderson, WR Deonte Harris, T Jerald Hawkins, DB KeiVarae Russell, DL Malcolm Roach
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Cam Brown
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Natrell Jamerson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: NT Danny Shelton, T Nate Solder
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Quinnen Williams
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DE Jabari Zuniga
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Shaun Bradley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Steven Sims
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Kerry Hyder
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Blessuan Austin
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Nate Davis
Washington Football Team
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Wendell Smallwood, K Joey Slye
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/25-12/26/21
Here are the league’s practice squad moves from Christmas and today:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Kenji Bahar
- Released: C Jimmy Murray
New York Giants
- Released: LB Omari Cobb
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: K Matthew McCrane
- Released: C Luke Juriga
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Cameron Nizialek
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25-12/26/21
Here are the NFL moves from Christmas and today:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: DE Josh Mauro, DB Kevin Peterson, P Ryan Winslow, WR Greg Dortch
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: LB Daren Bates
- Promoted: WR Marvin Hall
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: LB Daelin Hayes
- Promoted: QB Kenji Bahar, DB Robert Jackson, DB Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, NT Isaiah Mack, G/DT Reginald McKenzie, TE Tony Poljan, DB Jordan Richards, LB Joe Thomas, DB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DT Eli Ankou
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: QB Sam Darnold
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, DB Madre Harper, DT Frank Herron, G Mike Horton, TE Stephen Sullivan
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: DB Duke Shelley
- Promoted: DE Ledarius Mack, WR Dazz Newsome, DB Dee Virgin, WR Nsimba Webster, QB Ryan Willis
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, DT Mike Daniels, DE Noah Spence, WR Trent Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DB Maurice Canady, DB Donovan Wilson
- Promoted: DB Kyron Brown, DB Darian Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: T Quinn Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, LB Curtis Bolton, TE Shane Zylstra
- Placed on IR: DB Amani Oruwariye
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Innis Gaines
Houston Texans
- Extended: DE Ron’Dell Carter
- Activated from IR: WR Danny Amendola, DE DeMarcus Walker
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, DT Michael Dwumfour, K Dominik Eberle, G Jake Eldrenkamp, T Carson Green, DE Demone Harris, TE Paul Quessenberry, RB Jaylen Samuels, T Jordan Steckler, LB Connor Strachan, LB Josh Watson, S T.J. Green
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: DB Anthony Chesley, WR Keke Coutee, G Carter O’Donnell, DB Brian Poole, DB Will Redmond, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, WR Josh Hammond, DB Brandon Rusnak
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle, TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart, DB Josh Jackson, P Johnny Townsend
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: DB Tyree Gillespie
- Promoted: G Lester Cotton, DB Kavon Frazier, WR Tyron Johnson, NT Damion Square, QB Nathan Peterman, WR Dillon Stoner
- Placed on IR: DB Johnathan Abram
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Michael Bandy, RB Darius Bradwell, NT Andrew Brown, DB Ben Deluca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Maurice Ffrench, DT Forrest Merrill, WR Jason Moore
- Placed on IR: TE Donald Parham
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/NFI: RB Cam Akers
- Activated from IR: RB Buddy Howell
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, WR Brandon Powell
- Released: LB Jamir Jones, RB Mekhi Sargent
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: LB Josh Uche
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross, WR Kristian Wilkerson
New York Giants
- Promoted: DB Darqueze Dennard, DL David Moa, CB Aaron Robinson, WR David Sill V, OL Isaiah Wilson
New York Jets
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams, TE Dan Brown, WR D.J. Montgomery, LB LaRoy Reynolds, DL Ronald Blair, S Elijah Benton, DL Freedom Akinmoladun
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Jared Mayden
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Corliss Waitman
- Activated from IR: C J.C. Hassenauer
- Promoted: P Cameron Nizialek, OL Rashaad Coward, RB Trey Edmunds, LB John Simon
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, S Josh Jones, TE Tyler Mabry, OLB Edmond Robinson, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, WR Cyril Grayson, P Sterling Hofrichter, DL Benning Potoa’e
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: CB D.J. Hayden, RB Wendell Smallwood, LB De’Jon Harris, DB Jeremy Reaves
Townsend Family Spending Christmas In Kansas City
This is not necessarily a known fact, but more of a fun headline. With starting punter Tommy Townsend on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Chiefs signed two punters to their practice squad, Joseph Charlton and Tommy’s brother, Johnny Townsend.
Tommy went undrafted last year and took over as Kansas City’s primary punter by the end of training camp. Johnny was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2018 NFL draft by the then-Oakland Raiders. Johnny spent time on practice squads for the Giants, Ravens, and Chiefs before returning to Baltimore to spend some time on the active roster filling in for Sam Koch while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Upon Koch’s return, Johnny was waived and returned to the Ravens’ practice squad. After being released again this September, Johnny spent time on the practice squads for Tennessee and Houston, getting released after less than a month by both teams. Then, as mentioned above, the Chiefs picked him up on their practice squad yesterday.
The Townsends will most likely not be spending Christmas together if Tommy has tested positive for COVID-19 and/or is showing symptoms, based on the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol, especially if he is unvaccinated. If Tommy is unvaccinated, the required 10-day isolation period would see him missing not only this week’s game versus the Steelers but next Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, as well. If Tommy is vaccinated and asymptomatic, the new protocols, put in place in the wake of the omicron variant’s rampant spread, could see Tommy out of isolation any early as tomorrow, a true Christmas miracle!
Either way, I have to imagine the Townsends are feeling the Christmas cheer just knowing that the two are in the same city this holiday season. I hope everyone who celebrated enjoyed their Hanukkah. I wish a happy Boxing Day and Kwanzaa to our readers who celebrate those in the next few days and a Merry Christmas for the lovers of that holiday tomorrow. And a Happy Festivus for the rest of us!