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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: CB Delrick Abrams Jr.
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, QB Tyler Huntley, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Waived: TE Luke Willson
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Xavier Crawford
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: G Michael Dunn
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: CB Trevon Diggs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chidobe Awuzie
- Promoted: T Jordan Mills, RB Sewo Olonilua, CB Chris Westry
- Placed on IR: CB Deante Burton, LB Justin March-Lillard
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: T Halapoulivaati Vaitai
- Promoted: LB Kareem Martin, OL Marcus Martin, CB Alex Myres
- Placed on IR: DL Da’Shawn Hand
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: LB Brennan Scarlett
- Promoted: CB Anthony Chesley, WR Chad Hansen, DT Auzoyah Alufohai
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: OL Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: CB Chris Claybrooks, G Andrew Norwell
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Tre Herndon
- Promoted: CB Quenton Meeks, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Isaiah Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Jake Gervase
New England Patriots
- Activated off IR: LB Shilique Calhoun
- Waived: DT Isaiah Mack
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Will Clapp, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR Juwan Johnson, WR Tommylee Lewis
- Waived: TE Garrett Griffin, QB Trevor Siemian
- Placed on IR: WR Deonte Harris
New York Giants
- Activated off IR: S Adrian Colbert
- Promoted: QB Clayton Thorson, QB/WR Joe Webb, DB Jarren Williams, DB Quincy Wilson
- Waived: DB Montre Hartage
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: K Sam Ficken
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, LB Sharif Finch, DL Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Blake Countess, CB Jameson Houston
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: LB Mark Nzeocha
- Promoted: TE Daniel Helm, OL Dakoda Shepley, OL Isaiah Williams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Charlie Woerner
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/suspended list: DE Damontre Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Travis Homer, OL Jamarco Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Brooks Reed, OL Daniel Munyer, LB Wyatt Ray
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kalif Raymond
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: QB Steven Montez, RB Michael Warren
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/16/20
We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DT Braxton Hoyett, WR Gary Jennings
- Released: RB Tommy Bohanon
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB John Kelly
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Jordan Scarlett, QB Jordan Ta’amu
- Released: P Arryn Siposs
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Anthony Kukwa
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: S Ibraheim Campbell
Jacksonville Jaguars:
- Signed: C Evan Boehm
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Marcell Ateman
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Andre Patton
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Earl Watford
- Released: DB Dayan Lake
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Blake Countess
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: DL Willie Henry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/15/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: QB Trace McSorley
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Dez Bryant, DB Geno Stone
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers from Browns: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Ben Bartch
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Derwin James; James remains on IR
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: CB Kris Boyd
- Activated off IR: CB Mark Fields
New Orleans Saints
- Claimed off waivers from Raiders: G Patrick Omameh
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Brandon Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Washington’s practice squad: C Ross Pierschbacher
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: OL Danny Isidora
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: CB Kristian Fulton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Bradley Pinion, K Ryan Succop, LS Zach Triner
Browns Notes: Mayfield, Higgins
- Baker Mayfield had himself a night on Monday Night Football, even as the Browns fell to the Ravens. The former first overall pick has really turned it on recently, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote even before last night’s game that the young quarterback was “playing himself into blockbuster extension territory in the offseason.” Kay Cabot writes that the coaching staff in Cleveland has grown convinced as the season has gone on that they’ve got their quarterback of the future, and that if he closes the season strong “he can expect to receive the blockbuster extension in the offseason.” It’s been a nice turnaround for the Oklahoma product, as his struggles early on in the year had many questioning whether he was the long-term answer for Kevin Stefanski. With his performances the last few weeks, he’s silenced most of the critics. He has only one interception in his last six games, and has the Browns on the verge of clinching a playoff berth. Mayfield is still under team control for two more seasons after this one, and Kay Cabot writes that at the very least the Browns will be exercising the fifth-year option in his contract for 2022 this offseason. It sounds like he’s about to get a whole lot more than that though.
- Mayfield isn’t the only member of the Browns looking for an extension. Receiver Rashard Higgins is playing out the final year of his deal, and while Kay Cabot writes Cleveland will “likely” re-sign him, she also says nothing is imminent on that front. While she notes that players like Higgins are in a holding pattern as teams wait to see what the 2021 salary cap will look like, she also says he “will likely be wrapped up long-term.” The 2016 fifth-round pick had a huge touchdown on Monday night, and now has at least 65 yards in three of his past four games. His playing time has fluctuated through multiple different coaching staffs during his time with the team, and he had only four catches in ten games last year. But when given the opportunity he has usually delivered, like when he had 572 yards and four scores in 13 games in 2018. Now, it sounds like he might finally get rewarded after playing 2020 on a deal that paid him only $910K.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/20
We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Eric Tomlinson
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Lafayette Pitts
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
- Waived: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Parnell Motley
- Placed on COVID-19 list: K Brandon McManus
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on COVID-19 list: LB Jordan Glasgow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: LB Reggie Gilbert
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: G Patrick Omameh
New York Giants
- Waived: DB JaQuarius Landrews
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Washington’s practice squad: C Ross Pierschbacher
Browns, Rashard Higgins Talk Extension
The Browns and Rashard Higgins have begun preliminary talks on a contract extension, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. The wide receiver is currently on track for free agency after his one-year, $910K deal expires. 
Higgins, a fifth-year pro, enjoyed a solid 2018 with 39 grabs for 572 yards and four scores. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him from building on that in 2019, but he still drew a fair amount of interest as a free agent. Despite having more lucrative offers on the table, Higgins opted to re-up with the Browns, favoring his chemistry with Baker Mayfield over short-term dollars.
So far, that decision has paid off. Higgins has 25 grabs for 400 yards and three TDs through ten games, and he could be on the verge of a pay bump in Cleveland. And, after a 6/95/1 showing to help beat the Titans, there couldn’t be a better time for him to negotiate. If the season ended today, Higgins’ 16.0 yards per grab would represent a career best, and the season is far from over. The 9-3 Browns — with the Ravens on the horizon — are on track to break the league’s longest-standing playoff drought.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/20
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves. There are many.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: DB Shyheim Carter
Chicago Bears
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Thomas Ives, DT LaCale London, LB Manti Te’o; London and Te’o tested positive for the coronavirus
Cleveland Browns
- Activated off practice squad IR: WR Ryan Switzer
- Released: DE Jamal Davis
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: C Anthony Fabiano, TE Isaac Nauta
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: G Jeremiah Kolone
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Isaiah Ford
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Zack Bailey
- Placed on practice squad IR: TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Signed: S J.T. Hassell
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Niko Lalos, QB/WR Joe Webb
- Waived: TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Brady Sheldon
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Lavert Hill
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Jordan Matthews
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: WR Darvin Kidsy
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR/KR Jaydon Mickens
Washington Football Team
- Signed: QB Taylor Heinicke
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID list: WR Larry Fitzgerald
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated off IR: CB Anthony Averett
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID list: OL Wyatt Teller
- Activated from reserve/COVID list: DE Porter Gustin
- Placed on IR: WR Taywan Taylor
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers from Raiders: DT Daniel Ross
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed off Bills’ practice squad: CB Daryl Worley
Washington Football Team
- Signed to active roster off practice squad: TE Marcus Baugh