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
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/20
Today’s minor moves from around the league:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: OT Jake Rodgers
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: DT Daniel Ross
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Saints practice squad: LB Joe Bachie
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Tim Harris Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner
- Waived: WR/KR Jaydon Mickens
Raiders To Promote DE Vic Beasley
Vic Beasley appears set to suit up for a second team this season. The Raiders are promoting their recent practice squad addition to their active roster, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets.
The Raiders signed Beasley last week. He needed nearly a week’s worth of negative COVID-19 tests to practice with his new team, but the former first-round pick will have a chance to redeem himself after an unproductive Titans tenure.
Beasley struggled for much of his Falcons tenure, but he was a 2016 first-team All-Pro after recording 15.5 sacks. He failed to justify Atlanta’s top-10 investment, but the Clemson product finished his contract year on a bit of a tear to finish with eight sacks. The Titans received little after signing Beasley to a one-year, $9.5MM deal; the sixth-year veteran pass rusher recorded zero sacks.
The Raiders, however, have a need on the edge. They have experienced issues sacking quarterbacks since trading Khalil Mack. The team’s Clelin Ferrell draft choice has yet to pay dividends, though 2019 fourth-rounder Maxx Crosby has helped make up for that. But the Raiders will have Ferrell back Sunday, with Crosby and now Beasley joining him as the team hopes to begin a late-season resurgence that ends with a playoff berth. The Raiders will hope to have ex-Beasley Falcons teammate Takkarist McKinley (currently on IR) as part of this equation before December ends.
Raiders’ Josh Jacobs To Miss Week 13
For the first time this season, the Raiders will be without their starting running back. They ruled Josh Jacobs out for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Jacobs suffered an ankle injury against the Falcons and has not practiced this week. The team will hold him out of its matchup against an 0-11 team, putting Devontae Booker in line to receive a starter’s workload.
This certainly is a situation to monitor for the playoff-contending team. Last season, the Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up could not cement his case for that award after a shoulder injury halted his initial NFL season. Jacobs played through that issue for a while but ended up being shut down, missing the final two games of last season and ending his rookie slate with three injury-related absences. Jacobs still broke the franchise’s rookie rushing record.
This season, Jacobs has again been one of the NFL’s top rushers. Despite the Raiders missing various starting offensive linemen for most of the year, Jacobs has rushed for 782 yards (fifth in the NFL) and nine touchdowns. The Alabama product’s average is down a full yard, however, sitting at 3.8 through 11 games.
Las Vegas signed Booker this offseason and has used him as Jacobs’ primary backup. After seeing his role minimized in Denver, Booker has averaged 5.5 yards per carry on 59 totes with Las Vegas this season. The Raiders will have Booker and passing-down backs Jalen Richard and Theo Riddick in a key game in New Jersey.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/3/20
Here are Thursday’s practice squad decisions:
Denver Broncos
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Darius Kilgo
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Nick Bowers
New York Giants
- Signed: S Montre Hartage, K Ryan Santoso
- Released: DB Chris Williamson
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list, released: TE Daniel Helm
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Denico Autry
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Tanner Muse
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Jachai Polite
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers from Buccaneers: LB Jack Cichy
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: LB Blake Cashman
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Maurkice Pouncey
- Promoted: S Antoine Brooks Jr.
Raiders Host Spencer Ware On Visit
Josh Jacobs has not practiced this week, putting his availability for Sunday’s Raiders-Jets game in doubt. The Raiders are looking at a longtime Chiefs running back for potential insurance.
The Raiders hosted Spencer Ware on a Thursday visit, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The free agent running back last played for Kansas City in December 2019, having re-signed with the Chiefs during their Super Bowl-winning season. Ware, 29, has not signed with anyone this year.
Jacobs is battling an ankle injury sustained during the Raiders’ blowout loss to the Falcons. Devontae Booker has worked as his immediate backup this season and would start if Jacobs could not go Sunday. Las Vegas has passing-down backs Jalen Richard and Theo Riddick on its 53-man roster as well.
The Chiefs turned to Ware after Jamaal Charles went down in 2015. Charles’ immediate successor led the 2016 team with 921 rushing yards, earning a contract extension. But the Chiefs pivoted to Kareem Hunt in 2017, after a Ware season-ending injury, and Ware signed with the Colts in 2019. While Ware played in just three games last season, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2018. A shoulder injury ended Ware’s brief Chiefs stint last season.
Raiders Activate Trent Brown, Lamarcus Joyner From Reserve/COVID-19 List
After Trent Brown‘s second lengthy absence this season, the Raiders may finally have their right tackle back in action soon.
The Raiders activated Brown, Lamarcus Joyner and Theo Riddick off their reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Brown contracted the coronavirus earlier this season and experienced significant complications from the disease, requiring hospitalization and a second stay on Las Vegas’ reserve/COVID list.
Brown was on track to practice this week, and while the 2019 Pro Bowler might not be ready to return against the Jets, staying on schedule represents a positive development given his issues this season. If Brown is not ready to suit up this weekend, two weeks’ worth of practices could well be enough for a Week 14 re-emergence to take place.
Brown has played all of 73 offensive snaps this season, with an injury a few plays into the season moving him to IR, and has required two stints on the virus list. The Raiders have experienced issues at both tackle spots recently, though Kolton Miller returned from a brief absence late last month. He and Brown have barely seen the field together this season, however, and the latter’s return would be a boon to the suddenly struggling team’s playoff hopes. Las Vegas is already out starting guard Richie Incognito for the season.
Joyner has also landed on the Raiders’ COVID list twice this season. He was part of a slew of Raiders to be placed on the list after Clelin Ferrell‘s positive test late last month, but after Joyner initially came off the list with teammates, the Raiders moved him back on the list just before their Chiefs rematch. Joyner has missed the past two games.
Raiders To Place Maliek Collins On IR
Maliek Collins has started throughout his first Raiders season but will see an injury pause his initial post-Cowboys campaign.
The Raiders are placing the first-string defensive tackle on IR Wednesday, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter). Collins has started in the 10 games in which he’s played this year but must miss at least the next three. Collins was listed on the Raiders’ injury report with ankle and hamstring issues, but Jon Gruden said the D-lineman has a shoulder injury as well (Twitter link via Tafur).
While the Raiders gave Collins a one-year deal worth $6MM, he has struggled. Pro Football Focus currently has the fifth-year veteran slotted as the league’s worst full-time interior defender. Collins has yet to record a sack and has just one quarterback hit this season.
Working under current Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli in Dallas, Collins recorded multiple sacks in each of his first four seasons. He also notched at least eight QB hits in each of his Cowboy campaigns, creating a mid-level market for himself this offseason.
Trent Brown Set To Return To Practice
Trent Brown has played just 73 offensive snaps in his second Raiders season, but the Pro Bowl right tackle may be on the verge of suiting up again.
The sixth-year blocker is set to resuming practicing next week, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets. An injury initially sidelined Brown, but coronavirus complications have shelved the mammoth offensive lineman for the past several weeks.
Brown, whose positive COVID-19 test led to the rest of the Raiders starting O-line missing a full week of practice in Week 7, was on the verge of returning from his bout with the virus in Week 8 against the Browns. But an IV mishap led to the 380-pound lineman being hospitalized. Brown passed out at the hospital, according to Tafur (subscription required).
It is not certain what exactly transpired with Brown in Cleveland, but he wound up back on Las Vegas’ reserve/COVID-19 list days later. Brown has missed most of this season, and Tafur cautions that he is believed to be two or three weeks away from playing in a game again. Though, it is certainly a positive development Brown is on track to practice soon.
The NFLPA is looking into the Brown IV incident, Tafur adds, but no grievance has surfaced. Brown is in the second season of a four-year, $66MM contract — a tackle-record deal at the time of signing. The Raiders have been without he and former Pro Bowl guard Richie Incognito for most of the season, with the latter requiring foot surgery after going down in September. Las Vegas’ rushing attack still ranks seventh, but the group would obviously stand to improve with Brown anchoring its right edge.