NFL COVID List Updates: 12/21/21
Once again, we’ve had a busy day of moves on and off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Here are the players who were placed on the list or activated off of it today:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: Practice Squad CB Cornell Armstrong, Practice Squad OLB Quinton Bell
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: Practice Squad WR Binjimen Victor
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Pernell McPhee
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cole Beasley
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Artie Burns, DB Duke Shelley (remains on IR)
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Bilal Nichols
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Clay Johnston
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Mike Boone, Practice Squad WR Seth Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jaleel Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Blake Bell, LB Nick Bolton, DB Rashad Fenton, WR Tyreek Hill, G Kyle Long, T Lucas Niang, DB Armani Watts
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Chase Daniel, DE Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Von Miller, LB Christian Rozeboom
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Danielle Hunter, WR Dede Westbrook, WR Trishton Jackson
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Dalton Keene (remains on IR)
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Juwan Johnson
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Mike White
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Michael Carter, G Alijah Vera-Tucker
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Troy Apke
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Sammis Reyes, DT Tim Settle
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
Have you been waiting all day for Tuesday night? Thanks to COVID rescheduling, we still have two games to go in Week 15. While the Eagles, Rams, and the Washington Football Team are all jockeying for postseason berths/positioning, the Seahawks are — for all intents and purposes — out of playoff contention.
If the season ended today, the Seahawks would own a top ten pick…that is, if they owned it. The Jets, who hold the Seahawks’ 2022 first-round pick by way of the Jamal Adams trade, will be cheering for the Rams tonight.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Before the games begin, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
- Detroit Lions (2-11-1)
- Houston Texans (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- New York Giants (via Bears)
- New York Giants (4-10)
- Carolina Panthers (5-9)
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
- Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
- Washington Football Team (6-7)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Denver Broncos (7-7)
- New Orleans Saints (7-7)
- Cleveland Browns (7-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-7)*
- Buffalo Bills (8-6)*
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)*
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)*
- Tennessee Titans (9-5)*
- Arizona Cardinals (10-4)*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4)*
- New England Patriots (9-5)*
- Dallas Cowboys (10-4)*
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)*
- Green Bay Packers (11-3)*
* = Playoffs
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Nate Hall
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chad Hansen
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Evin Ksiezarczyk
Carolina Panthers
- Released: RB Jacques Patrick
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Tegray Scales
Denver Broncos
- Signed: QB Anthony Gordon, TE Caleb Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Josh Watson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Released: CB Darqueze Dennard
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: C Drake Jackson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Dylan Mabin
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Freedom Akinmoladun, G Isaiah Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G Nathan Gilliam
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
- Released: TE David Wells
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: S Shawn Williams
- Released: CB Will Sunderland
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Claimed: DE Azur Kamara (from Cowboys)
- Released from IR: T Matt Kaskey
- Placed on IR: DB A.J. Bouye
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Thomas Graham
- Released: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Porter Gustin
- Released: TE Nick Guggemos, WR Alexander Hollins
- Placed on IR: Takkarist McKinley (story)
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, LB Pita Taumoepenu, T Casey Tucker, RB Kerrith Whyte, RB Damarea Crockett
- Placed on IR: FB Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Ron’Dell Carter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: RB, Carlos Hyde, S Rayshawn Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, DB Damarious Randall
- Released: CB Delrick Abrams, T Adrian Ealy, TE Kyle Markway, C Austin Reiter
- Activated from IR: RB Jake Funk, LB Travin Howard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier
- Released: RB A.J. Rose, WR Darrius Shepherd
New York Giants
- Released: Jake Hausmann
New York Jets
- Claimed: DB Will Parks (from Dolphins)
- Placed on IR: TE Ryan Griffin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: G Jack Anderson
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Tyrell Adams
Seattle Seahawk
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, RB Josh Johnson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: WR Chris Godwin, DE Pat O’Connor
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: RB Alex Armah, LB De’Jon Harris, QB Kyle Shurmur, T David Steinmetz
- Placed on IR: RB J.D. McKissic
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/20/21
A long list of players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. We listed the players who landed on the list today, as well as those who were activated off the list:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Justin Houston, DB Jimmy Smith, WR Sammy Watkins
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE A.J. Epenesa, G Jon Feliciano
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Tashaun Gipson, DB Jaylon Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jadeveon Clowney
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S John Johnson, G Wyatt Teller
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Quintez Cephus, QB Jared Goff (story), OT Matt Nelson
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, RB Jamaal Williams
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Maliek Collins, DE Jonathan Greenard, DE Jacob Martin, DE Derek Rivers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Harrison Butker, TE Travis Kelce (st0ry), DB Charvarius Ward
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Joe Fortson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Joey Bosa (story), DB Tevaughn Campbell, DB Kemon Hall, C Corey Linsley, DB Trey Marshall, WR Andre Roberts, LB Chris Rumph
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Rashawn Slater
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Tremayne Anchrum, OT Bobby Evans, LB Troy Reeder, CB Robert Rochell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Justin Coleman
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Phillip Lindsay, WR Jaylen Waddle
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Harvey Langi, LB Cameron McGrone, DE Ronnie Perkins
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Keion Crossen
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE John Franklin-Myers, DB Sharrod Neasman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Landon Dickerson, OT Andre Dillard
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer, DE Kerry Hyder, NT Bryan Mone, DB D.J. Reed, OT Brandon Shell
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Elijah Molden
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Brandon Scherff (story)
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Matt Ioannidis
Coaching Notes: Jags, Culley, Nagy
Things have not gone well for the Jaguars this year. Urban Meyer failed to make it through his first year as an NFL head coach, No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence has the second-worst QB rating among qualified passers, and the club has mustered just two wins against 11 losses. The good news, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, is that the Jacksonville head coaching job is considered a desirable one, and many candidates who are expected to be hot commodities in the upcoming coaching cycle are anxious to secure an interview with owner Shad Khan.
That is largely because of Lawrence, who is still considered a generational talent despite his rookie struggles. Former Eagles HC Doug Pederson is reportedly interested in the post, and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels and Bills OC Brian Daboll might also be attractive options for Khan given their recent work with young signal-callers. One way or another, Khan should not have any difficulty luring a top candidate to Duval, though he obviously needs to get this hire right.
Here are several other coaching-related items:
- Jaguars interim HC Darrell Bevell will have a chance to have the interim tag removed and interview for the permanent head coaching gig. He does have Lawrence’s support, but his candidacy will depend on how the team’s offense performs down the stretch. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com expects Ravens DC Don Martindale — the architect of the Jags’ Joe Cullen-led defense — to be in the mix as well (Twitter link).
- We recently heard that the Texans are expected to retain head coach David Culley for 2022, but GM Nick Caserio is at least considering his options, per La Canfora. Culley, a 66-year-old coach who had spent his entire career as an assistant, was the most surprising hire of the 2021 cycle, but as Houston was (and is) in the midst of a complete rebuild, the club was perhaps looking for more of a caretaker than anything else. Caserio is rumored to have his eye on one unnamed candidate for the next phase of the rebuild, and it’s not difficult to connect the dots to McDaniels. The Houston HC job may not attract many in-demand candidates for 2022, which means that Culley could get one more year at the helm. However, if McDaniels does not land his own head coaching post in the coming months, he and Caserio could reunite in Texas in 2023.
- No surprises here, but La Canfora, in the same Culley piece linked above, says many assistants on Bears HC Matt Nagy‘s staff are operating under the assumption that they will need to find new employment at season’s end. It has been assumed that Nagy will be terminated after the season is over, though La Canfora leaves open the possibility that Nagy could get his walking papers before then so that Chicago can get a head start on the interview process.
NFL COVID List Updates
We are trying our best here at Pro Football Rumors to keep up with all of the updates throughout the league concerning players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A lot of teams had high hopes during today’s testing as they were trying to get players activated in time for Sunday’s slate of games.
Here are updates as of 8:30 PM ET, Sat 12/18:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chris Westry, WR Sammy Watkins
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Eddie Goldman
- OC Bill Lazor, DC Sean Desai, STC Chris Tabor in COVID-19 protocols
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Takkarist McKinley
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T James Hudson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Trysten Hill, DT Osa Odighizuwa
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DB Bobby Price, DB Tracy Walker
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jonathan Greenard, G Lane Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Zaire Franklin
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Antwaun Woods
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Darrell Henderson, CB Donte Deayon, TE Brycen Hopkins, OL Alaric Jackson, OLB Justin Hollins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Joseph Noteboom, CB Robert Rochell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jevon Holland
Minnesota Vikings
- Four Coaches in COVID-19 protocols
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Xavier McKinney
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Folorunso Fatukasi, Practice Squad LB Noah Dawkins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Breshad Perriman
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jonathan Allen, DE James Smith-Williams, DE Casey Toohill, DE Montez Sweat
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: RB Chase Edmonds, S Charles Washington
- Placed on IR: WR DeAndre Hopkins, CB Robert Alford
- Promoted: CB Kevin Peterson, LB Joe Walker
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DB Erik Harris
- Promoted: LB Dorian Etheridge, DB Shawn Williams
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: DB Robert Jackson, S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, C Adam Redmond, T David Sharpe
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- Promoted: QB Reggie Bonnafon, WR Willie Snead
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from IR: OG D’Ante Smith, DB Trae Waynes (story)
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones, WR Trent Taylor
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Willie Harvey Jr., DE Porter Gustin
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: DT Justin Hamilton, RB Jaquan Hardy, DB Darian Thompson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DB A.J. Parker
- Promoted: LB Curtis Bolton, RB Craig Reynolds, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: S Shawn Davis, DE Abdullah Anderson, G Cole Van Lanen
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Jordan Jenkins
- Promoted: S Grayland Arnold, LB Connor Strachan, WR Jordan Veasy, DB T.J. Green, FB Paul Quessenberry, DL Chris Smith, OL Jordan Steckler
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: DT Antwaun Woods
- Promoted: DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Anthony Hines, WR Brandon Powell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: C Greg Mancz
- Promoted: WR Tommylee Lewis
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale, C James Ferentz, RB Devine Ozigbo
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: TE Adam Trautman
- Placed on IR: TE Garrett Griffin (story)
- Promoted: G Forrest Lamp, WR Easop Winston
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, LB Jaylon Smith, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: RB Michael Carter, T Chuma Edoga, DE Bryce Huff, TE Tyler Kroft
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Daniel Brown, WR Vyncint Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: RB Brian Hill, DB Jarrod Wilson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: TE Tory Carter
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/21
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Andy Dalton and CB Duke Shelly
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Elijah Wilkinson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: QB Kyle Lauletta, QB Jake Dolegala (story)
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cedrick Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Placed on Injured Reserve: TE T.J. Hockenson
Houston Texans
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Justin McCray
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: LB Malik Jefferson
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list: G Jamil Demby, DB Grant Haley, TE Tyler Higbee, LB Justin Lawler
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List: RB Mark Ingram
New York Giants
- Promoted: DT David Moa
Washington Football Team
- Signed: QB Garrett Gilbert (story)
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Daniel Wise
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
The Chiefs (9-4) and Chargers (8-5) are getting set to kick off Week 15 in a matchup that could decide the AFC West crown. Meanwhile, more than one-quarter of the NFL’s teams have either been mathematically or effectively eliminated from playoff contention.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record. (Ex: Washington would own the No. 19 pick if they were eliminated in the Wild Card round with the worst record of the group.)
With that in mind, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
1. Detroit Lions (1-11-1)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11)
3. Houston Texans (2-11)
4. New York Jets (3-10)
5. New York Giants (via Bears)
6. New York Giants (4-9)
7. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
8. Carolina Panthers (5-8)
9. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
12. Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
13. New Orleans Saints (6-7)
14. Las Vegas Raiders (6-7)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1)
16. Denver Broncos (7-6)
17. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
18. Cleveland Browns (7-6)
19. Washington Football Team (6-7)*
20. Buffalo Bills (7-6)*
21. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
22. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
23. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)*
24. Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
25. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)*
26. Dallas Cowboys (9-4)*
27. Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)*
28. Arizona Cardinals (10-3)*
29. Tennessee Titans (9-4)*
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3)*
31. New England Patriots (9-4)*
32. Green Bay Packers (10-3)*
* = Playoffs