Lions’ T.J. Hockenson Done For Year
T.J. Hockenson‘s season is over. The Lions tight end underwent thumb surgery on Thursday morning that will rule him out for the remainder of 2021 (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). He’ll be placed on injured reserve this week and focus on his recovery for 2022. 
[RELATED: Lions’ Jacobs Done For Year]
Hockenson isn’t a stranger to IR, having lost a chunk of his rookie season to an ankle injury. That year, he finished out with 32 receptions for 367 yards and two touchdowns. Then, last year, Hockenson tallied 67 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns across a full 16-game slate. This year, even as the Lions have slumped, the Pro Bowler has amassed a solid 61/583/4 line in 12 games.
“It’ll be fine,” Hockenson said last week, before today’s news broke (via the Detroit Free Press). “No worries here.”
Hockenson was Jared Goff‘s favorite target throughout the year. Now, the Lions’ offense will have to look elsewhere for support in the passing game. Life without Hockenson starts this Sunday against the Cardinals.
WFT Signs Akeem Spence
The Washington Football Team has signed defensive tackle Akeem Spence, per a club announcement. Meanwhile, they’ve also placed safety Kam Curl, center Keith Ismael, and center Tyler Larsen on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. 
Washington now has 21 players on the COVID-19 list, which could leave them severely shorthanded this Sunday against the Eagles:
- DT Jon Allen
- QB Kyle Allen
- CB Troy Apke
- DE William Bradley-King (practice squad)
- S Kam Curl
- LB Milo Eifler
- S Darrick Forrest
- CB Kendall Fuller
- TE Temarrick Hemingway (practice squad)
- LB Khaleke Hudson (also on IR)
- DT Matt Ioannidis
- C Keith Ismael
- C Tyler Larsen
- T Cornelius Lucas
- LB David Mayo
- TE Sammis Reyes
- DT Tim Settle
- WR Cam Sims
- DE James Smith-Williams
- DE Montez Sweat (also on IR)
- DE Casey Toohill
With that, it seems likely that Spence will see some playing time this week. If he does, it’ll mark the veteran’s first action of 2021. To date, he has 10.5 sacks and 204 total tackles across eight seasons in the league.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/16/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on COVID-19 list: RB Nate McCrary
Carolina Panthers
- Released: LB Josh Watson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Brian Allen, S Tedric Thompson
Houston Texans
- Placed on COVID-19 list: DB Cre’von LeBlanc
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Colin Thompson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: CB Greg Stroman
New York Giants
- Signed: C Evan Boehm
New York Jets
- Activated from COVID-19 list: LB Noah Dawkins
Cardinals To Place DeAndre Hopkins On IR
DeAndre Hopkins will have knee surgery to repair his torn MCL (Twitter links via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Cardinals will place the star wide receiver on injured reserve with the expectation that he will miss the remainder of the regular season. But, as previously reported, Hopkins could return after roughly six weeks, meaning that he could return for the later stages of the playoffs. ,
Hopkins met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache this week and learned that surgery would be his only choice. After further testing, the injury proved be just as bad as it initially appeared. Sandwiched between two Rams defenders in the end zone, Hopkins saw both defenders land on his legs, forcing him to sit out for the end of Monday night’s game.
The five-time Pro Bowler also missed time earlier this year with a hamstring injury. Now shut down for the rest of the year, his second Cardinals campaign will end with 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns. Last year, in a full 16-game slate, Hopkins posted 115 catches for 1,407 yards and six scores.
The Cardinals, sans Hopkins, will look to clinch a playoff spot this week with a win over the Lions. Of course, even without the three-time All-Pro, they still have plenty of weapons in Christian Kirk, Zach Ertz, A.J. Green, and rookie Rondale Moore.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Rodney Hudson
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark
Chicago Bears
- Activated for return: OT Germain Ifedi, CB Duke Shelley
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, DB Terrance Mitchell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: CB Dicaprio Bootle, DE Cortez Broughton, WR Daurice Fountain, LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Scott Quessenberry
- Promoted: DB Ben Deluca
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: LB Ronnie Perkins
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Cameron Jordan
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Wes Martin
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Elijah Moore, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DT Akeem Spence (story)
WFT Places Eight Players On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Washington Football Team added another eight players to the reserve/COVID-19 list today, writes ESPN’s John Keim. The leaves WFT with a staggering 18 organization players on the list, 14 of which have been placed on the list this week alone.
[RELATED: NFL Considering Changes To COVID-19 Protocols]
WFT currently holds the last playoff spot in the NFC, and they’re set for a crucial showdown with the Eagles on Sunday. While the organization will surely activate a handful of players from the reserve/COVID-19 list prior to this weekend, there should still be plenty of absences. As Keim notes, nine of the 18 players who are currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list are usual starters, including five of their top six defensive linemen. The team also has only two healthy tight ends on the roster, and their receivers corps could also be depleted.
“We’ve dealt with adversity all year,” said WFT quarterback Taylor Heinicke. “We’ve had guys go down and step up and play; it’s just more for this week. We have confidence in all our guys. It should be an interesting one Sunday, but I feel good about it.”
Head coach Ron Rivera said he hasn’t heard any discussions of canceling the game against the Eagles. Earlier tonight, commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that the NFL wasn’t planning on postponing or cancelling any games.
The current WFT players are listed on the reserve/COVID-19 list (h/t to Keim on Twitter):
- DT Jon Allen
- QB Kyle Allen
- CB Troy Apke
- DE William Bradley-King (practice squad)
- LB Milo Eifler
- S Darrick Forrest
- CB Kendall Fuller
- TE Temarrick Hemingway (practice squad)
- LB Khaleke Hudson (also on IR)
- DT Matt Ioannidis
- T Cornelius Lucas
- LB David Mayo
- TE Sammis Reyes
- DT Tim Settle
- WR Cam Sims
- DE James Smith-Williams
- DE Montez Sweat (also on IR)
- DE Casey Toohill
Broncos Add S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, WR Travis Fulgham To Practice Squad
The Broncos have added two notable names to their practice squad. The team announced that they’ve signed safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and wideout Travis Fulgham to the taxi squad.
Clinton-Dix spent much of the offseason and preseason with the 49ers, but he was let go before the start of the regular season. He ended up spending much of the 2021 campaign on the Raiders practice squad, but he managed to get into 13 special teams snaps in two games with the organization. The 28-year-old was cut by the Raiders last week.
The Cowboys signed the former Pro Bowler in 2020 but released him before the start of the regular season. Prior to these struggles landing a steady gig, Clinton-Dix did not miss a game from 2014-19. He worked as a starter throughout that stretch, making the Pro Bowl with the Packers in 2016 and ranking as an upper-echelon safety (per Pro Football Focus) with the Bears in ’19. Clinton-Dix could end up being forced into Denver’s lineup if any of Kareem Jackson, Caden Sterns, and/or P.J. Locke are forced to miss Sunday’s game.
For an Eagles receiving corps decimated by injury last season, Travis Fulgham played a big role. He caught a game-winning touchdown pass to help the depleted Eagles past the 49ers and ended his season with 38 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to last season, however, Fulgham had never caught a pass as a pro. He was waived by the Eagles back in August, and he’s had brief stints on Philly and the Dolphins practice squad this year.
Dolphins Add Damon Arnette To Practice Squad
The Dolphins have signed Damon Arnette to a practice squad deal (Twitter link via David Furones of the Sun Sentinel). This marks the cornerback’s first deal since he was cut by the Raiders earlier this year. 
Shortly after the tragedy involving Henry Ruggs, a video surfaced showing Arnette issuing threats and brandishing a handgun. The Raiders moved quickly to release the 2020 first-rounder, who was also in the midst of multiple lawsuits, including one for a car crash of his own.
Arnette made his name at Ohio State, flashing potential opposite of Jeff Okudah. With the ability to play on the inside or the outside, the Raiders were high on his upside. Unfortunately, his potential has been torpedoed by his off-the-field problems.
Arnette started in seven of his nine games as a rookie, collecting 25 tackles along the way. This year, he appeared in the Raiders’ first four games, but didn’t top 30% of the snaps in any of those contests.
While Arnette joins the 16-man practice squad, the rest of the team will prepare to face the Jets on Sunday. A win would give them six straight, a 7-7 record on the year, and at least a glimmer of hope in the Wild Card race.
Texans’ Jordan Jenkins To Return From IR
The Texans have designated Jordan Jenkins for return from IR, per a club announcement. Jenkins has missed the last few weeks with a torn PCL, but it appears that it was just a partial tear, one that didn’t require significant surgery. 
[RELATED: Texans, Dorsett Agree To Extension]
Jenkins, a 2016 third-round pick of the Jets, joined up with the Texans on a two-year, $6MM deal in March. The Texans aren’t playing for much at this point, but Jenkins may be motivated to keep his job (and contract) for 2022. In theory, the Texans could release him this spring to save $3MM against just $500K in dead money.
Jenkins notched 22.5 sacks in his previous five seasons with the Jets, including 15 sacks between the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Then, he took a step back in 2020 with career-lows in tackles (32) and sacks (2). So far this year, he’s got 17 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss in Houston.
The Texans are now 2-11 following Sunday’s loss the Seahawks. They’ll try to snap their three-game losing streak this week when they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville.
Titans Designate Bud Dupree For Return
The Titans have designated outside linebacker Bud Dupree to return from the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. This will trigger a 21-day window for Dupree to return to the active roster. 
Dupree has missed the last three games with an abdominal injury. Although it was a less serious malady that the ACL tear that capped his 2020 season, it was frustrating nonetheless. Combined with Caleb Farley‘s season-ending ACL tear and injuries to Derrick Henry and Julio Jones, the Titans have been playing at half-strength.
Still, they’ve effectively sewn up the AFC South with a 9-4 record and they’re still in the mix for the conference crown. Dupree, who tallied 19.5 sacks between 2019 and 2020, should go a long way towards helping that effort. To date, he’s got just seven stops and one sack through seven games for the Titans. They’re expected better results from here on out as he plays on his five-year, $82.5MM deal.
It remains to be seen whether Dupree will be cleared this week. But, if he’s able to go, he’ll return against his former team on Sunday.