Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/21
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): CB Saivion Smith
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: WR Juwann Winfree
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jalen Richard
- Designated for return: TE Nick Bowers
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: C Austin Reiter
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Danielle Hunter
New England Patriots
- Activated off reserve/NFI list: S Joshuah Bledsoe
- Placed on injured reserve: G Alex Redmond
- Waived: LB Calvin Munson
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Kendall Fuller, DT Tim Settle
Washington To Sign Nate Orchard
The Washington Football Team will sign linebacker Nate Orchard, according to agent Kenny Zuckerman (Twitter link). Plucked from the Packers’ practice squad, Orchard will have a chance to see his first live action of 2021.
[RELATED: Torn ACL For WFT’s Logan Thomas]
The veteran will provide depth after defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, defensive lineman James Smith-Williams, and defensive ends Montez Sweat and Casey Toohill were placed on the COVID-19 list. It remains to be seen whether they’ll be cleared in time for Washington’s Week 15 matchup against the Eagles.
Orchard, a 2015 second-round pick of the Browns, lived up to his draft stock as a rookie, finishing with three sacks and four QB hits. Unfortunately, he spent most of his sophomore campaign on IR and fell to a backup role in 2017 before being released prior to the 2018 season. Since then, he’s made the rounds, spending time with the Bills, Chiefs, Seahawks, Dolphins, Texans, and Washington.
Orchard appeared in eight games for WFT over the last two years, collecting 16 stops and one sack.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/14/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Rashad Smith, CB Will Sunderland
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Josh Malone
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Damion Square
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Eddie Yarbrough
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Woodrow Hamilton
- Released: QB Clayton Thorson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Isaiah Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Matt Cole
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Kenjon Barner, P Sterling Hofrichter
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DT Hercules Mata’afa
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on COVID-19 list: WR Binjimen Victor
Denver Broncos
- Placed on COVID-19 list: WR Seth Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Released: QB Danny Etling
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on COVID-19 list: G Kyle Hinton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Mac McCain
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed DE John Simon
- Released: K Sam Sloman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: LS Garrison Sanborn
Packers’ Randall Cobb Underwent Surgery
SATURDAY: As expected, Cobb is now on IR. The Packers made the official transaction, sidelining the veteran slot receiver for at least three games. The team is expecting Cobb to be out longer, aiming for him to return in the postseason.
THURSDAY: The Packers will be without one of their top wideouts for a stretch. Randall Cobb is still dealing with the core injury that caused him to exit the Packers’ Week 12 game against the Rams.
Despite the benefit of Green Bay’s recent bye week, the 11th-year receiver is unlikely to return soon. This may well lead to an IR stay, though the Packers have not yet indicated that will be necessary. 
“Cobb is going to be out for a while,” Matt LaFleur said (via Packers.com’s Wes Hodkiewicz, on Twitter). “He had a pretty significant injury. That’s unfortunate because he’s done such an amazing job when given the opportunity.”
Additionally, Cobb underwent surgery to address the issue during the Packers’ bye week, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes. The Packers believe the recently reacquired receiver will miss several games. While it is uncertain if Cobb will be shut down for the season, Green Bay has moved the timetable to January. The team hopes Cobb can return for the team’s playoff slate, Demovsky adds.
The 31-year-old was enjoying a productive season in his return to Green Bay. After being drafted by the Packers in the 2011 second round, Cobb had one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Reunited with Aaron Rodgers this offseason, Cobb had played in all 12 games for the Packers to start his second Green Bay stint. He has posted 28 catches for 375 yards and five touchdowns this season.
In Cobb’s absence, the Packers will likely use a rotation of Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown and Amari Rodgers in the slot moving forward.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/21
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Mike Boone, S P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Tracy Walker, RB Jamaal Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB De’Vondre Campbell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Joe Fortson
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Myles Gaskin
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jeff Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Gavin Heslop
- Placed on IR: S Jamal Adams (story)
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Khaleke Hudson
Jaire Alexander Returns To Practice
One of the Packers’ injured standouts is moving close to a return. Jaire Alexander will practice for the Packers on Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter).
This will start the Pro Bowl cornerback’s 21-day IR-activation clock. The Packers must move Alexander back onto their active roster by Dec. 29 or place him on season-ending IR. Alexander has not played since Week 4. Alexander is likely to be eased back into action, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets, so a Week 14 return may not be in the cards.
A shoulder injury has sidelined Alexander for most of this season, and although the Packers have maintained on defense despite Za’Darius Smith missing almost all of the year as well, having their top cover man back would certainly be a big bonus. Green Bay is a game back of Arizona for the NFC’s lone bye, with Tampa Bay joining the Packers at 9-3.
Alexander, who broke through for his first Pro Bowl in 2020, could have opted for a surgery that would have ended his season. But the fourth-year defender did not take that route, keeping the door open for a late-season return. The Packers have expected both he and Smith to be back late this year, but the latter’s return timetable has yet to take shape.
Regardless of Alexander’s return status, the former first-round pick will be in position to score a lucrative extension. The Packers picked up the Louisville alum’s fifth-year option, and with 2021 first-round corner Eric Stokes early in his rookie contract, a clear window will open for Alexander to land a top-tier deal.
NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Darnold, Cowboys
Imagine a loaded Buccaneers offense with…Jonathan Taylor at running back. It could have been a possibility, as the Buccaneers had their eye on the Wisconsin product during the 2020 draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Bucs were armed with the No. 14 heading into that draft, and Taylor was on the “short list” of players the organization was considering with that selection. The team ended up with their preferred prospect, offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, and they traded up to No. 13 to make sure they got the lineman. However, if Wirfs was off the board at that point in the draft, then Tampa Bay likely would have pivoted to Taylor, who didn’t hear his name come off the board until midway through the second round.
“I loved him,” Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said recently (via Schefter). “He could do it all, and it was just a matter of time — playing behind that offensive line — that he was going to be the force that he is.”
Taylor has obviously had a standout season with the Colts, leading the league with 1,348 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns (naturally, he’s also leading the NFL with 1,684 yards from scrimmage and 18 total scores). Of course, things have worked out fine for the Buccaneers. Wirfs has started all 28 of his career games, while the duo of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones were more than capable during Tampa Bay’s 2020 Super Bowl run.
Some more notes out of the NFC…
- Sam Darnold seems to be out of the picture in Carolina, but the Panthers still owe the quarterback $18.8MM in guaranteed money in 2022. The team already paid Denver $7MM to inherit Teddy Bridgewater, leaving the organization with $17MM in dead cap. As a result, Joseph Person of The Athletic believes Darnold will stick around as a high-priced backup vs. being involved in a salary dump. Person specifically cites a 2017 trade where the Texans attached a second-round pick to Brock Osweiler to dump his salary on Cleveland; league sources tell the reporter that “an Osweiler-type trade involving Darnold is unlikely.”
- Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards is a candidate for the head coaching job at his alma mater, Duke University, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Edwards was a four-year player for Duke, and he served as an assistant on the Duke staff way back in 1996. He’s had a long coaching career since that time, including a recent six-year stint as the Vikings defensive coordinator. Edwards has been a senior defensive assistant with the Cowboys since 2020. Duke parted ways with David Cutcliffe last month.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com recently tweeted the 10 highest salary cap hits for 2022, and the top three spots all belong to the NFC. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and his $48.7MM cap hit leads the way, following by Packers QB Aaron Rodgers at $46.1MM and Vikings QB Kirk Cousins at $45MM. Other NFC players on the list include Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (sixth, $37MM), Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (ninth, $34.5MM), and Lions QB Jared Goff (10th, $31.2MM).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Cornell Armstrong
- Released: CB Chris Williamson, OT Rick Leonard
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick
- Released: WR Matt Cole
Chicago Bears
- Signed: FB Ben Mason
- Released: LB Rashad Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Ross Travis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR/KR Tyrie Cleveland
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: QB Kurt Benkert
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Clayton Thorson
New York Jets
- Signed: K Matt Amendola, WR Tarik Black
- Released: WR Keelan Doss
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: DB Elijah Benton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LS Garrison Sanborn
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jonathan Ward
Detroit Lions
- Waived/Injured: DL Da’Shawn Hand
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB De’Vondre Campbell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed (off 49ers practice squad): CB Davontae Harris
New York Giants
- Signed (off Bills practice squad): QB Jake Fromm
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Keelan Cole
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T/G Brett Toth
- Placed on IR: T/G Jack Driscoll
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed (off Saints practice squad): DT Montravius Adams