COVID-19 Latest: Bubble, Bengals, Dalton
With the NFL passing an in-case-of-emergency amended playoff bracket and having a tentative Week 18 in place in case games need to be rescheduled, the league is planning ahead. Its months-long anti-bubble stance remains, but the prospect of one taking place in the postseason has not been ruled out. The NFL will consider holding conference championship games at neutral-site bubbles, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Like the 16-team bracket, this would be a contingency plan. Should the NFL proceed with bubbles for its penultimate postseason round, Maske notes warm-weather cities would be the likely sites.
Here is the latest on the NFL’s navigation of the coronavirus pandemic:
- As cases spike nationally, the NFL has seen a significant uptick as well this month. Forty-seven percent of the league’s positive coronavirus tests this season came during November’s first two weeks, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. As such, the NFL is bracing for more COVID-related trouble after Thanksgiving. The league expects cases to surge after the holiday, with high-ranking execs informing Jones the bulk of its cases thus far this season occurred because of in-home gatherings. No games have been rescheduled since Week 7, but given the protocol adjustments and postseason contingency plan, the league appears to be preparing for postponements to re-emerge.
- Beginning Saturday, all NFL teams will be thrust into the intensive COVID-19 protocol. The recently implemented higher-security format will be the new norm, per NFL.com’s Judy Battista. Positive tests were previously necessary to move teams into the intensive protocol — which calls for all meetings to be held virtually, masks to be worn at all times at team facilities and no player congregation to occur outside of teams’ headquarters — but the league’s Thanksgiving-related concerns have prompted precautions.
- The Bengals were without four coaches during their Week 10 game against the Steelers and will be without three staffers this weekend as well. Cincinnati cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson, wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell and safeties coach Robert Livingston will not be with the team in Washington due to COVID-19 protocols, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Last week, the Bengals were without Jackson, Bicknell, linebackers coach Al Golden and senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner. Bengals DC Lou Anarumo will assume more responsibility this weekend, per the team, in overseeing the team’s defensive backs.
- Former Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton will be back in the Cowboys‘ starting lineup this week, but he has not yet fully recovered from the coronavirus. The 10th-year veteran developed symptoms and has not fully regained his taste and smell senses, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). Dalton’s wife and one of his sons also contracted the virus. The Cowboys activated Dalton from their reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Jonathan Wynn
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Trajan Bandy, CB Donnie Lewis
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Artavis Scott
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DL David Irving
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Kendall Blanton, DB Jake Gervase, WR J.J. Koski
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Andre Patton
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Nick Thurman
- Activated from practice squad IR: TE Jake Burt
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers from Broncos: CB Davontae Harris
Chicago Bears
- Claimed off waivers from Texans: WR DeAndre Carter
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Freedom Akinmoladun
- Removed from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Trae Waynes; Waynes remains on IR
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyrone Crawford, QB Andy Dalton
Denver Broncos
- Waived via left-squad designation: LB Nigel Bradham
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Antonio Callaway, DT Benito Jones
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Riley Dixon, LS Casey Kreiter
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Patrick Onwuasor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Marcus Epps
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Javon Kinlaw
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: OL Phil Haynes
- Placed on IR: CB Neiko Thorpe
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: RB Senorise Perry
Bengals Waive Takk McKinley
Takk McKinley‘s time with the Bengals is over before it really ever began. Cincinnati waived the defensive end after he failed his physical with the team, they announced on Tuesday.
Cincy had just claimed McKinley off waivers from the Falcons last week. He’ll now revert to waivers, where every team will again have the chance to claim him. In addition to the Bengals, the 49ers, Browns, and Raiders also submitted claims last time. The 49ers have the highest waiver priority among those teams so they’ll presumable be able to get him if they still want him, unless a previously uninterested team decides to pull the trigger.
Atlanta drafted McKinley in the first-round back in 2017, but he never lived up to that status. He had six and then seven sacks in his first two years in the league, but had only 3.5 last season. Through four games and limited playing time this season he only has one, although he’s had a very high pressure rate.
He was hoping to get traded, and accused the Falcons of turning down trade offers for him. After the trade deadline came and went he blasted the team on social media, leading to his release shortly thereafter. McKinley has plenty of talent, and at only 25 makes for a nice low-risk upside addition for teams in need of pass-rushing help. It’ll be interesting to see who jumps at the opportunity the second time around.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jake Carlock
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Luke Wilson
Carolina Panthers
- Cut: TE Seth DeValve
Cincinnati Bengals
- Cut: OT O’Shea Dugas
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Breeland Speaks
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: P Johnny Townsend
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Ryan Glasgow
- Cut: DE Will Clarke
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Nate Wieting
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Connor Davis
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB Adrian Killins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Charles Jones
- Released: LB Ray Wilborn
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on practice squad IR: DB Jared Mayden
Chiefs, 49ers Interested In DeAndre Baker
The armed robbery charges against former Giants cornerback Deandre Baker have been dropped and he’s already drawing interest from a handful of NFL teams. The Chiefs, Bengals, 49ers, and Jaguars are all in on Baker, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Cowboys, he adds, “could also be in play.” 
[RELATED: Robbery Charges Against DeAndre Baker Dropped]
The Giants, who immediately distanced themselves from Baker following the allegations from Florida, are not interested in a reunion, Schwartz says. Giants head coach Joe Judge effectively confirmed that when speaking with reporters on Monday.
“[We] wish him the best luck in the future,” Judge said. “We’ve made the decision we think is best for the program. That is all I have to say about that.”
The Giants traded up from the second round in 2019 to draft Baker towards the back-end of the first round. A standout at Georgia, Baker was widely regarded as the top cornerback in the class. The 5-foot-11 athlete turned in a standout 2018 season with the Bulldogs, compiling 40 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, and two picks. However, he struggled to grasp the playbook as a rookie and wound up benched late in the season. All in all, he had 55 stops, zero interceptions, and lots of headache-inducing game tape.
On the other hand, Baker is still young and represents a low-risk, high-reward signing for teams like the Chiefs and 49ers. He’s free to sign with any team, though NFL discipline could still be in his future.
Bengals Activate Sam Hubbard, Place John Ross On IR
Takkarist McKinley will not make his Bengals debut this week, needing to go through the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol. But the team will have a key pass rusher in uniform after some time away.
The Bengals activated Sam Hubbard from IR Saturday. The third-year defensive end has missed the past three games because of an elbow injury.
Cincinnati also moved John Ross to its IR list. While Ross has not been active since Week 6 and has not caught a pass since Week 1, he has run into multiple injury issues during another disappointing season. After a foot injury shelved him recently, more foot trouble emerged in practice this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
This setback came shortly after Bengals coaches had a conversation with Ross about working as a cornerback, Garafolo notes, but the injury came on a play in which Ross was playing his usual position. None of this is good for a player who joined the Bengals as a top-10 pick.
The team did not pick up Ross’ option and has not featured him prominently this season, using younger players Tee Higgins and Auden Tate over Ross. While Ross requested a trade, the Bengals did not move him. Ross’ contract expires at season’s end. The Combine’s 40-yard dash record holder is not on track to enter free agency with much momentum.
Hubbard will return to a defensive line that no longer houses Carlos Dunlap, whom the Bengals traded during Hubbard’s injury hiatus. Hubbard will rejoin Carl Lawson in Cincy’s lineup, while McKinley — added on waivers this week — is set to join the incumbents next week.
The Bengals also placed cornerback Darius Phillips on IR and promoted guard Quinton Spain, wide receiver Stanley Morgan, cornerback Jalen Davis and defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie ahead of their matchup with the Steelers.
Coaching Notes: Campbell, Smith, Dolphins
Prior to hiring Adam Gase, the Jets requested an interview with Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. The Browns were interested as well, before promoting Freddie Kitchens. Instead, the Big 12 leader signed an extension to stay in Ames. But Campbell is intrigued by the prospect of coaching in the NFL, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Known for his offensive acumen and the revitalization effort he authored at Iowa State — which has started 5-2 this season — Campbell could be a more serious contender to fill one of the league’s coaching vacancies next year. Since the last time he popped up on the NFL radar, Kliff Kingsbury and Matt Rhule have made the jump. The Cyclones’ 40-year-old HC may be next.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Unsurprisingly, Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has emerged as a coaching candidate. “A lot of intrigue” surrounds Tennessee’s second-year OC, Pelissero adds. Smith, 38, did not receive looks last season, but Ryan Tannehill‘s sustained success — Thursday night’s underwhelming performance notwithstanding — after a mediocre Miami career has turned heads. Smith figures to receive interview requests in 2021.
- Despite the NFL’s recent trend of preferring offense-oriented coaches, Brandon Staley is viewed by some as a future head coach. The Rams plucked Staley off Vic Fangio‘s Broncos staff, making the 37-year-old assistant their defensive coordinator. He is viewed by current and former colleagues as a future HC, Pelissero adds. However, teams may want to see Staley be a coordinator for more than one season. Prior to his Los Angeles arrival, he served as outside linebackers coach in Chicago and Denver.
- Shifting to current coaching situations, a few teams will be without staffers Sunday. The Dolphins will be hit hardest on this front. After placing Christian Wilkins and Kyle Van Noy on their reserve/COVID-19 list, the Dolphins will be without quarterbacks coach Robby Brown, defensive line coach Marion Hobby, outside linebackers coach Austin Clark and quality control staffer Kolby Smith against the Chargers because of coronavirus protocols, per ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe (on Twitter). Running backs coach Eric Studesville and former Texans OC George Godsey will assist Chan Gailey with QB responsibilities.
- The Bengals and Steelers have a combined 10 players on their respective COVID lists. The Bengals will also be without wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell because of “COVID-19 reasons,” the team announced. Assistant wideouts coach Troy Walters will take on more responsibility.
Bengals Have 5 Players On COVID List
- A Bengals practice squad player tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The Bengals placed cornerbacks Brian Allen and Winston Rose on their practice squad COVID list. The team currently has five players — Allen, Rose, Trae Waynes (on IR), Margus Hunt and offensive lineman Fred Johnson — on its reserve/COVID list going into its game against Pittsburgh. The Steelers currently have five players — Ben Roethlisberger, Vance McDonald, Vince Williams, Jaylen Samuels and offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins — on their COVID list.
49ers, Browns, Raiders Put In Claims For Takk McKinley
The Bengals’ 2-5-1 record aided them Wednesday, with Takk McKinley now Cincinnati-bound after a waiver claim. Other suitors were ready to pounce if the Bengals did not make a claim.
The 49ers, Browns and Raiders submitted claims for McKinley, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes after McKinley curiously tweeted the Falcons declined trade offers for him. The Browns were one of the teams to discuss a McKinley trade with the Falcons, per SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
McKinley would have been thrust into the AFC playoff race had he landed in Cleveland or Las Vegas. The Browns eyed Jadeveon Clowney for months, submitting what was believed to be a strong offer for the high-profile edge rusher, but instead reworked Olivier Vernon‘s contract and ran back the Vernon-Myles Garrett tandem. McKinley would have joined ex-Falcons teammate Adrian Clayborn as an auxiliary pass rusher in Cleveland.
Although the Raiders have seen Maxx Crosby play well after arriving as a fourth-round pick, the team has not seen much production from No. 4 overall selection Clelin Ferrell. The Raiders were also in the Clowney mix. Only Crosby (five sacks) has registered more than one sack among Raiders, and the team’s nine QB drops rank 31st.
Injuries have depleted the 49ers’ once-formidable defensive line. They are without Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas for the season, and Dee Ford is not certain to return in 2020. McKinley, who recorded 13 sacks between the 2017-18 seasons, has one in four games this year. The 2017 first-round pick does have seven QB hits in abbreviated time (85 defensive snaps) this season, however.