Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Sam Koch
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: S Ronnie Harrison
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Braden Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: DE Clelin Ferrell
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Daryl Worley
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jalen Richard
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C Ryan Groy; Groy remains on IR
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Micah Kiser
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Riley Reiff
New England Patriots
- Waived: TE Jordan Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB La’Mical Perine; Perine tested positive for the coronavirus
- Placed on IR: OL Josh Andrews
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: KR Jaydon Mickens
- Placed on IR: RB Kenjon Barner
Browns Close Facility Due To COVID-19
3:13pm: While several Browns remain on the coronavirus list, they have completed a contact tracing effort and reopened their facility, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com tweets. They also added center Javon Patterson to the practice squad COVID list, Cabot adds (via Twitter).
11:06am: On Wednesday, the Browns closed their team facility due to a positive COVID-19 test. This comes after the Browns learned that a coach and a practice-squad player have tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).
The Browns have also placed safety Karl Joseph, Andrew Sendejo and Harrison Bryant on the reserve/COVID-19 list, a sign that he was likely in close contact with one or both of those individuals.
The Browns were in similar territory last week with the ripple effect of B.J. Goodson‘s positive COVID-19 test. Contact tracing deemed several Browns wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones to be high-risk close contacts, keeping them out of Sunday’s game against the Jets. The Jets went on to win 23-16, bumping the Browns to 10-5 and knocking themselves out of the No. 1 draft pick sweepstakes.
The Browns can make the playoffs for the first time in a long time with a win over the Steelers in Week 17. Alternatively, they can still reach the postseason if the Colts fall to the Jaguars. There’s also a third scenario that would give them a playoff berth, though that would be dependent on the outcome of three different games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here as we barrel toward Week 17:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Kylie Fitts
- Activated: OL Lamont Gaillard
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: S Geno Stone
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR John Brown, S Josh Thomas, RB Christian Wade (close contacts)
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: OT Trenton Scott
- Signed to 53 from practice squad: OT Matt Kaskey
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Alexander Hollins
Houston Texans
- Signed to 53 from practice squad: WR Damion Ratley
- Waived: RB C.J. Prosise
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers from Steelers: OL Derwin Gray
New England Patriots
- Signed to 53 from practice squad: OL Marcus Martin
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list: C Hroniss Grasu, LS Taybor Pepper
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Greg Dortch
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Cordel Iwuagwu
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from PS-IR: C Corey Linsley
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: OL Patrick Omameh
Browns To Be Down Several WRs In Week 16
Dec. 27: There were no new positive tests overnight, so this afternoon’s contest with the Jets will go forward, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). The Browns will be without their top four wideouts and two linebackers, and while they did activate left tackle Jedrick Wills from the reserve/COVID-19 list as expected, Wills has been ruled out of the game with an illness. Cleveland has elevated Willies and Bradley from the practice squad, along with LB Montrel Meander.
The close contact with Goodson occurred in the team’s recovery pool area, according to Pelissero (hold your jokes, please). Sharing the pool isn’t a protocol violation in and of itself, but at least one player wasn’t wearing a mask as required, and the league may choose investigate further.
Dec. 26: Some fallout is emerging from B.J. Goodson‘s positive COVID-19 test. Contact tracing deemed several Browns wide receivers high-risk close contacts, according to Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones — the Browns’ top three wide receivers — have are high-risk close contacts, Schefter and Mortensen report (on Twitter). These three will be placed on Cleveland’s reserve/COVID-19 list and miss Sunday’s game against the Jets, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com (on Twitter).
A fourth wideout, KhaDarel Hodge, will also be placed on the virus list, Cabot reports (on Twitter). Linebacker Jacob Phillips is also out. Hodge is Cleveland’s fourth-leading wide receiver this season.
The Browns have not yet left Cleveland and have yet to learn how many players will be unable to travel with the team to New Jersey. The Browns are also likely to be without at least one tight end against the Jets, according to ESPN. The game remains on as scheduled for noon CT Sunday.
While this is not as dire of a situation, functionality-wise, as what the Broncos encountered earlier this season at quarterback, the Browns are in a higher-profile spot. The Browns still have a chance to win the AFC North, with two wins and two Steelers losses, and have yet to clinch a wild-card spot yet. The Jets are 1-13 but coming off a 23-20 win over the Rams.
Already down Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns do not have much in the way of receiving talent beyond their top three healthy targets. Few teams do. Landry’s 789 receiving yards lead the team, while Higgins has contributed 544 and four receiving TDs. This will be Landry’s first absence with the Browns.
Cleveland’s remaining wideouts: Marvin Hall and practice squad cogs Derrick Willies and Ja’Marcus Bradley. None of them have a catch with Cleveland this season. Hall caught 17 passes for 290 yards and two scores with the Lions this year. The Browns claimed Hall off waivers from the Lions earlier this month.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: OL Sean Harlow, WR Chris Rowland
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, QB Tyler Huntley
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: LB Clay Johnston, T Matt Kaskey
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DB Xavier Crawford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: CB Tony Brown
- Promoted: WR Trenton Irwin, LB Keandre Jones
- Waived: S Trayvon Henderson
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: C Javon Patterson
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: FB Sewo Olonilua
- Placed on IR: DT Antwaun Woods
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB LeVante Bellamy
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: DL Brian Price, RB Dexter Williams
Houston Texans
- Promoted: Steven Mitchell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: CB Quenton Meeks, FB Bruce Miller, RB Craig Reynolds
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: CB Deandre Baker, LB Omari Cobb, WR Gehrig Dieter, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
- Placed on IR: CB Sidney Jones
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: DT Maliek Collins
- Promoted: CB Rashaan Gaulden, LB James Onwualu, DB Javin White
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DE Joe Gaziano, TE Matt Sokol
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: OL Jamil Demby, S JuJu Hughes
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jordan Thomas
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: RB La’Mical Perine
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, LB Sharif Finch, LB Brady Sheldon
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: RB Jordan Howard, DT T.Y. McGill, DE Joe Ostman, TE Caleb Wilson
- Placed on IR: CB Kevon Seymour, DE Josh Sweat
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: LB Tegray Scales, K Matthew Wright
- Waived: OL Derwin Gray
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: DL Bryan Mone
- Promoted: WR Penny Hart
- Placed on IR: G Phil Haynes
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Brooks Reed
Washington Football Team
- Activated from IR: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
- Promoted: QB Steven Montez
- Waived: WR Dontrelle Inman
COVID-19 Latest: Browns, Texans, Panthers
The Browns have closed their facility and delayed their flight to New Jersey because of a positive COVID-19 test. They are performing contract tracing ahead of their scheduled noon CT Sunday game against the Jets. While the Browns placed Jedrick Wills on their reserve/COVID-19 list, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the rookie left tackle did not test positive for the coronavirus. He and practice squad wideout Ryan Switzer are close contacts. However, Wills is expected to be pulled off the Browns’ virus list in order to start Sunday, Cabot adds. Cleveland indeed activated Wills off its reserve/COVID list but placed linebacker B.J. Goodson on it ahead of Sunday’s game. Goodson tested positive, Cabot reports. The Browns are planning to depart Cleveland at some point tonight, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.
Here is the latest from the NFL’s COVID-19 front:
- Deshaun Watson‘s restaurant opening has caused an issue for the Texans. Watson and other Houston players were photographed maskless at the recent indoor event, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Watson received a $7.5K fine. The Texans levied fines against some of his teammates as well, with ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop noting Laremy Tunsil, Brandin Cooks and Tytus Howard were among those at the event.
- Whitney Mercilus now resides on the Texans’ reserve/COVID-19 list, and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reports he tested positive for the virus (Twitter link). This is Mercilus’ second time on the COVID list; he landed there in November as a close contact of then-COVID-positive linebacker Jacob Martin. This will end Mercilus’ season — his ninth with the Texans. Thanks to his December 2019 extension, Mercilus is signed through the 2023 season.
- The Panthers‘ dustup with COVID earlier this month produced a series of fines. The team handed out fines of at least $10K to players who broke virus protocols during the team’s bye week earlier this month, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Wideouts D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel and Shaq Thompson, Derrick Brown and Greg Little were among those placed on the COVID list.
- After the Broncos were forced to use practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback earlier this season, the NFL tweaked its protocol to help teams in the event similar trouble emerges. Players already receiving COVID testing will be permitted to make their debuts for new teams without having to take virus tests six days apart, Pelissero tweets. This would allow for a team to sign a player off another team’s practice squad late in the week and use him in a game in an emergency scenario.
- Washington fined Dwayne Haskins $40K for breaking COVID protocols for the second time this season but did not suspend him.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/22/20
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR A.J. Richardson
- Released: DL P.J. Johnson
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Anthony Edwards
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: WR Gary Jennings
Carolina Panthers
- Activated off practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Ishmael Hyman
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Spencer Ware
- Activated off practice squad injured list: WR Thomas Ives
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Elijah Benton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: C Jon Toth
- Released: OL Marcus Martin
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Anthony Pittman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: K J.J. Molson
- Released: OL Anthony Fabiano
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Willie Henry, CB Brandon Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB Elijah McGuire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DE David Irving
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Dee Virgin
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Marquise Copeland, LB Derrick Moncrief
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Marcus Kemp
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Garrett Griffin, QB Trevor Siemian
New York Giants
- Signed: S Montre Hartage
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Tyler Gaffney
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Josh Johnson, WR Kevin White
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: OL Andrew Jones
Washington Football Team
- Signed: WR Jeff Badet
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/22/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR: CB Jordan Miller
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Zach Kerr
- Placed on IR: OL Dennis Daley
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR DeAndre Carter
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: OL Chris Hubbard
Detroit Lions
- Activated off IR: DE Julian Okwara
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Anthony Hitchens
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated off IR: LB Tanner Muse
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated off IR: DB Nick Scott
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S JuJu Hughes
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford
New York Jets
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Folorunso Fatukasi
- Placed on IR: LB Harvey Langi
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: T Donovan Smith
- Waived/failed-physical: S Justin Evans
Browns OL Chris Hubbard Done For Season?
The Browns are 10-4 and appear to be playoff-bound for the first time since 2002, but they suddenly find themselves thin at right guard. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), offensive lineman Chris Hubbard suffered a dislocated kneecap in Cleveland’s win over the Giants last night. Hubbard will go under the knife, and his season will be over.
Hubbard was filling in for starting RG Wyatt Teller, who sustained a sprained ankle in the Browns’ loss to the Ravens last week and who is not expected back until the playoffs, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. Teller also missed some time earlier this season with a strained calf, and his absence is significant. The third-year blocker is playing at a Pro Bowl level and is currently Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated guard.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said this morning that he is not prepared to rule Hubbard out for the rest of the season, and he also said he does not know if Hubbard will need surgery. However, he did confirm that the veteran O-lineman will miss a significant amount of time (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).
Hubbard has not lived up to the five-year, $37.5MM deal he signed with Cleveland in March 2018, but he does offer valuable experience and depth. He has started in Teller’s absence in each of the four games that Teller has missed this season, and he also started a game at right tackle. Rookie Nick Harris will line up at right guard for the time being, and it would not be surprising to see the Browns sign a reinforcement in the coming days.