Minor NFL Transactions: 11/24/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Deionte Thompson
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Pernell McPhee
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Josh Norman
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DT Anthony Rush
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Joe Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: RB LeVante Bellamy
- Waived: T Jake Rodgers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: LB Reggie Gilbert
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Chase McLaughlin
- Placed on IR: CB D.J. Hayden, S Daniel Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: WR Byron Pringle
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed off waivers from Patriots: DE Derek Rivers
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Promoted: RB Josh Adams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Vance McDonald
- Promoted: TE Kevin Rader
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: T Ty Sambrailo
- Waived: P Trevor Daniel, CB Greg Mabin
The Jets’ addition of Adams makes a lot of sense after rookie running back La’Mical Perine suffered a high ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for at least a couple games. A 2018 UDFA out of Notre Dame, Adams played a significant role with the Eagles as a rookie, when he started five of 14 games and carries the ball 120 times for 511 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the reasonably productive first season, he was waived at final cuts last year.
Browns’ Denzel Ward To Miss Time
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward will likely miss multiple weeks with a calf strain, sources tell NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Ward suffered the injury sometime during Sunday’s win over the Eagles, one of his best individual performances of the year. 
[RELATED: Latest On Browns’ Garrett]
“Denzel is a warrior,’’ teammate B.J. Goodson said (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “I get excited when he makes plays. I didn’t sense any type of injury from him. I guess we will just see how that goes and hope for the best.”
Frankly, it was hard for anyone to tell. Ward broke up four passes, pressured Wentz into a pick six, and intercepted him late in the game to ice the win. Ward, who was on the field for every snap, now leads the NFL with 15 passes defensed.
At minimum, Ward will be out for this week’s game against the Jaguars — ditto for teammate Myles Garrett, who will remain on the COVID-19/Reserve list. Beyond that, his status is murky for key games against the Titans and Ravens.
Browns Made Claim On Takkarist McKinley
- The Raiders claimed defensive end Takkarist McKinley off waivers today, but they weren’t the only team to place a claim on the embattled lineman. Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Browns also made a claim on McKinley. Of course, considering the 25-year-old has failed a pair of physicals and been waived twice over the past few weeks, there’s a chance Cleveland could get another shot.
Latest On Browns’ Myles Garrett
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett will remain on the COVID-19 reserve list this week, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. With that, Garrett will be held out of Sunday’s contest against the Jaguars, marking his second straight missed game.
Garrett was parked the reserve list last week, keeping him out of their Week 11 game against the Eagles. They still managed to win 22-17 without their top defensive player, thanks to Sione Takitaki’s pick-six and Olivier Vernon’s sack/safety. The front seven delivered, just in the nick of time. Heading into Week 11, Garrett had 9.5 sacks to lead the league while everyone else on the Browns had combined for just 12.5 sacks.
The Browns are now 7-3, but they’ll have to continue their playoff push without Garrett for at least one more week. Per the NFL’s coronavirus protocols, Garrett can’t return to the team until at least 24 hours after his symptoms have passed. There’s no word yet on his status or specifics on any symptoms that Garrett may have experienced since he was placed on the reserve list.
If the Browns keep things up, they’ll have an opportunity to snap their 18-year playoff drought, the longest in the NFL.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/21/20
Here is Saturday’s usual flood of minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: QB Kurt Benkert
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: DB Natrell Jamerson, LB Chris Orr
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Jack Conklin, K Cody Parkey
- Promoted: G Michael Dunn, DE Cameron Malveaux, FB Johnny Stanton
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: T Brandon Knight
- Promoted: C Adam Redmond, CB Rashard Robinson
- Placed on IR: C Tyler Biadasz
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: OL Elijah Wilkinson
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, LB Josh Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: P Drew Kaser
- Promoted: RB Mike Weber
Houston Texans
- Promoted: LB Nate Hall, OL Greg Mancz, RB Scottie Phillips
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: CB D.J. Hayden
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, LB Joe Giles-Harris, WR Terry Godwin, TE Eric Saubert
- Waived: S Doug Middleton
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: C Joey Hunt, DE Cassius Marsh, DT Rob Windsor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Gehrig Dieter, OL Bryan Witzmann
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DL David Irving
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Theo Riddick
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, LB Cole Christiansen, S Jaylen Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Kyzir White
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: K Matt Gay
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: TE Chris Myarick
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: T Aviante Collins, LS Andrew DePaola
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: FB C.J. Ham
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Terez Hall, WR Donte Moncrief
- Waived: OL Hjalte Froholdt, DE Derek Rivers
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DT Ryan Glasgow, TE Garrett Griffin
New York Jets
- Promoted: QB Mike White
- Activated from IR: LB Frankie Luvu
- Placed on IR: CB Bless Austin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: RB Elijah Holyfield, DT T.Y. McGill, DE Joe Ostman, TE Caleb Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DT Chris Wormley
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jordan Kunaszyk, T David Steinmetz
Myles Garrett Tests Positive For COVID-19
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, per a club announcement. Garrett did not practice this week due to an undisclosed illness, and Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the fourth-year pass rusher has indeed tested positive for the coronavirus. 
The Browns will be without Garrett for this week’s game against the Eagles, at minimum. The former No. 1 overall pick is now in jeopardy of missing Week 12’s Jaguars game as well.
Garrett currently leads the league with 9.5 sacks and his presence will be missed as they look to advance to 7-3 in a sardine-packed AFC North. The former Texas A&M star joins tackle Jack Conklin, fullback Andy Janovich, kicker Cody Parkey, and tackle Chris Hubbard on the Browns’ reserve list. On the plus side, “zero high-risk contacts have been identified” in connection to Garrett, per the team’s press release.
The Browns gave Garrett a record-breaking extension in July and, so far, he’s done his part to live up to the deal. While he leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks, the rest of the Browns’ D has just 12.5 sacks combined. While he isolates, the Browns will need the rest of the front seven to step things up and keep the pressure on.
Takk McKinley Fails 49ers Physical
Takkarist McKinley has not lacked for suitors since the Falcons waived him, but the former first-round pick has run into medical trouble since leaving Atlanta.
Days after McKinley did not pass a Bengals physical, the 49ers also failed him on their medical exam, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reports (on Twitter). The 49ers waived him Friday. The 49ers have not given up on McKinley, but because of the waiver system, they risk losing him. McKinley is battling a groin injury.
Interestingly, the Browns and Raiders joined the 49ers in submitting two waiver claims for McKinley. The AFC teams tried to claim the fourth-year defensive end after the Falcons cut him, but the Bengals’ priority won out. They again put in claims after the Bengals waived him, but the 49ers won out, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It will be interesting to see if the six-win AFCers try again.
The Falcons shopped McKinley before the trade deadline but did not end up dealing him. The 2017 first-rounder appears to have a market, but he will need to return to full health to benefit from it. He will be a first-time free agent if no team claims him this time around.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/20
Here are the most recent NFL minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Tyler Kroft, S Dean Marlowe, CB Levi Wallace
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: WR/PR Dwayne Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Jack Conklin, K Cody Parkey
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: CB C.J. Henderson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Eric Fisher, T Mitchell Schwartz
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: FB C.J. Ham
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Hroniss Grasu, LB Joe Walker
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Jayson Stanley
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: P Trevor Daniel
COVID-19 Positive Test Closes Browns Facility
UPDATE, 3:45pm: The Browns have placed fullback Andy Janovich on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets, which would seem to suggest he’s the player who tested positive.
12:34 pm: Cases of COVID-19 continue to trickle in throughout the league, and the Browns are the latest to be hit by the virus. Cleveland is closing their facility after a player tested positive Monday morning, the team announced in a tweet. This news comes just a few days after the Browns were originally cleared to reopen their facility following offensive lineman Chris Hubbard‘s positive test.
By now the drill is more or less routine. The Browns will have their facility closed while they conduct contact tracing and identify any close contacts. Players who are close contacts with the infected player will then likely go on the reserve/COVID-19 list as well, although they can still play this coming week as long as they test negative for five days in a row. Speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to say whether the player played on Sunday against the Texans.
Assuming he did, Houston will then likely have to go into an intensive protocol as well around their facility. There’s no word yet on who the player on the Browns is, but we’ll pass that along as soon as it’s reported. Cleveland improved to 6-3 yesterday with their victory over the Texans.
Browns To Activate RB Nick Chubb
The Browns are about to get a major boost to their offense. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Cleveland has activated Nick Chubb from injured reserve. The running back is expected to play tomorrow against the Texans.
Chubb was rolling through his first three-plus games of the 2020 campaign, collecting 335 rushing yards and four scores on only 57 carries (good for 5.9 yards per attempt). However, he was placed on injured reserve with an MCL injury in early October, but there was always some optimism that Chubb would return sooner than later. Following a productive week at practice, the Browns staff felt Chubb was ready to return to the field.
In his stead, the team has turned to Kareem Hunt and (to a lesser extent) D’Ernest Johnson. Hunt, who has 18 receptions through eight games, should still see a role in the passing game, but Chubb should otherwise take up the majority of the carries. The running game will have an excellent opportunity for a standout performance against Houston tomorrow, as the Texans are allowing 159.5 rushing yards per game.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller should also be on the field against Houston. The lineman was limited in practice this week with a calf strain, but head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated that Teller would be good to go this weekend.