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
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
Broncos To Activate RB Mike Boone From IR
Mike Boone is on track to make his Broncos debut Sunday. Sidelined since training camp due to a quad injury, the veteran running back will be activated off IR ahead of Denver’s Week 6 game, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets.
After the Vikings non-tendered Boone as a restricted free agent, ex-Minnesota assistant GM George Paton brought him to Denver, where he is now GM. Boone signed a two-year deal worth $2.6MM, giving the Broncos a backup back at a modest price. Boone should be expected to contribute on special teams and potentially mix in as a role player on offense.
Denver reshaped its backfield this offseason, cutting Phillip Lindsay in March and waiving Royce Freeman just before the season. Boone is set to join Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams in Denver’s backfield. Boone’s return to health stands to aid a Broncos team that is without pass catchers Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler and Albert Okwuegbunam going into a key matchup against the Raiders.
Boone’s most notable work sample came in 2019, when injuries to Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison brought him to the forefront in Minnesota. The former UDFA averaged 5.6 yards per carry (273 total) on 49 totes that year, helping the Vikings to the playoffs.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves will be noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Denver Broncos
Signed:
- OT Cameron Fleming, DL Shamar Stephen
Waived:
Placed on IR:
- RB Mike Boone, CB Michael Ojemudia
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Quinn Bailey, TE Shaun Beyer, WR Tyrie Cleveland, RB Damarea Crockett, CB Nate Hairston, OT Drew Himmelman, WR Kendall Hinton, CB Mac McCain III, LB Curtis Robinson, QB Brett Rypien, OL Austin Schlottmann, DL Marquiss Spencer, LB Barrington Wade, WR Seth Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed:
- WR Marcus Kemp
Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list:
- S Tyrann Mathieu; Mathieu tested positive for COVID-19
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Claimed:
- DL Eric Banks (from Rams), DB Trey Marshall (from Broncos)
Waived:
- CB Brandon Facyson, DL Forrest Merrill
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Michael Bandy, RB Darius Bradwell, LB Cole Christiansen, DB Ben DeLuca, OLB Emeke Egbule, DL Breiden Fehoko, DL Joe Gaziano, G Nate Gilliam, G Ryan Hunter, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, WR Jason Moore Jr., WR Joe Reed
Broncos’ Mike Boone To Miss Time
Broncos running back Mike Boone will miss 4-6 weeks with a quad injury, as Mike Klis of 9 News tweets. It’s not ideal, but perhaps better than expected news after Boone was carted off the practice field this week.
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Broncos GM George Paton brought the former Viking to Denver this year on a two-year contract worth up to $4.5MM. Formerly a special-teamer/third-stringer behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, Boone is now vying for time behind Melvin Gordon and second-round pick Javonte Williams. Phillip Lindsay is no longer in the picture, so Royce Freeman could pick up Boone’s work for however long he’s out.
While Boone has mostly played special teams as a pro, fantasy GMs remember his 2019 fondly. Serving as the Vikings’ top back down the home stretch, he finished the year with 273 rushing yards on a 5.6 YPC average. He didn’t see as many totes last year, however, registering eleven carries for 59 yards.
Broncos To Sign RB Mike Boone
The Broncos will add a complementary piece to their backfield equation. They agreed to terms with former Viking Mike Boone on Wednesday night, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
Acquired by the Vikings during current Broncos GM George Paton‘s lengthy Minnesota tenure, Boone will follow Paton to Denver. The Vikings wanted to retain him, just not on an RFA salary, but he will leave for the AFC instead.
Boone, 25, agreed to a deal worth $2.6MM, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com adding $1.6MM of that is guaranteed (Twitter link). It is a two-year contract worth up to $4.5MM, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
Boone will leave a crowded backfield and join another. Formerly a special-teamer and third-stringer behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, Boone will join a Broncos team that has Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay on its roster. However, the Broncos gave the latter the low-end RFA tender. That clouds Lindsay’s Denver status, with the Broncos not entitled to compensation were they to fail to match an offer sheet.
This move also could spell trouble for Royce Freeman‘s roster spot. Lindsay’s former backup worked as Denver’s third-string back last season. Lindsay and Freeman are due for unrestricted free agency after this season, but it would appear the backfield will lose one of them before the campaign starts.
The Vikings did not offer Boone an RFA tender, which would have meant a salary north of $2MM for this coming season, so the Broncos will have him going into his fourth year. While Boone has mostly played special teams as a pro, fantasy GMs will recognize him from 2019, when he took over late in the season. He finished the ’19 slate with 273 rushing yards on a 5.6 YPC average, potentially providing the Broncos with a capable off-the-bench option.
Mike Boone Won’t Re-Sign With Vikings
Though the Vikings wanted to keep RB Mike Boone in the fold, it seems they will be unable to do so. Per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter), Boone is prepared to sign elsewhere.
Minnesota non-tendered Boone this afternoon, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent. The club had hoped that it would be able to re-sign the former UDFA to a contract worth less money than an RFA tender, but Boone is seeking greener pastures.
It’s hard to blame him. The Vikings have Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison ahead of Boone on the depth chart, so he would have again been relegated to the team’s RB3 post. He has done well in that role, with a 5.3 YPC average and four TDs over his first three pro seasons, but he has only managed 71 career carries (including just 11 last year).
Per Tomasson, Boone is looking for a team that will give him a chance to be an RB2. He may have to wait until the dust settles on the first wave of free agency, but he should get that opportunity.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/21
Tomorrow is the deadline for NFL teams to extend tender offers to their own restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Chiefs: G Andrew Wylie
- Colts: S George Odum
- Cowboys: DT Antwaun Woods
- Dolphins: OL Adam Pankey
- Packers: CB Chandon Sullivan, TE Robert Tonyan (second-round tender)
- Raiders: K Daniel Carlson (second-round tender)
- Texans: DT P.J. Hall, CB A.J. Moore
Non-Tendered:
- Packers: DL Tyler Lancaster
- Seahawks: LB Shaquem Griffin
- Vikings: RB Mike Boone, DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
Vikings Want To Retain RB Mike Boone
With Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Mike Boone, the Vikings have boasted an enviable RB depth chart over the past several seasons. In order to keep that trio together, however, Minnesota will need to make a decision on Boone, a restricted free agent.
As Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports, the club wants to retain Boone (Twitter link). The question, though, is if the Vikings want to hand him an RFA tender or if they want to non-tender him and hope they can re-sign him to a less expensive contract.
An RFA tender at the original-round level — the only realistic tender for Boone — would cost Minnesota $2.133MM, though it would give the team the right of first refusal if another club signed Boone to an offer sheet. If the Vikings declined to match the offer sheet, they would not receive any draft pick compensation.
A $2.133MM salary for a young and talented insurance policy doesn’t seem like much of a commitment, but the Vikes are still over the 2021 cap at the moment, so they need to cut costs wherever they can. GM Rick Spielman may feel that another team would not offer Boone more than $2.133MM if he were to be non-tendered, and he may be right. Although Boone has flashed during his three professional seasons, he has not had many opportunities.
The Cincinnati product has just 71 career carries to his name, and he had only 11 totes in 2020. He does boast a 5.3 YPC average over that small sample size, and there is reason to believe he would perform well in a larger role, but he probably shouldn’t bank on a significant raise over the $750K he pocketed last year.
Vikings Sign 17 Undrafted Free Agents
The Vikings have agreed to terms with 17 undrafted free agents. Here’s the complete rundown:
- Jeff Badet, WR (Oklahoma)
- Mike Boone, RB (Cincinnati)
- Curtis Cothran, DT (Penn State)
- Garret Dooley, LB (Wisconsin)
- Armanti Foreman, WR (Texas)
- Chris Gonzalez, G (San Jose State)
- Holton Hill, CB (Texas)
- Tyler Hoppes, TE (Nebraska)
- Hercules Mata’afa, LB (Washington State)
- Trevon Mathis, CB (Toledo)
- Tray Matthews, S (Auburn)
- Kamryn Pettway, FB (Auburn)
- Peter Pujals, QB (Holy Cross)
- Korey Robertson, WR (Southern Mississippi)
- Roc Thomas, RB (Jacksonville State)
- Jake Wieneke, WR (South Dakota State)
- Jonathan Wynn, DE (Vanderbilt)
Hill received $75K guaranteed in the form of a $15K signing bonus and $60K in base salary, which is the most money received by UDFA since Mike Zimmer became the team’s head coach in 2014, writes Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune.
Robertson received $50K guaranteed with his deal, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. The wide receiver caught 76 passes for 1,106 yards for Southern Mississippi last season.
Wieneke, a native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, said this week that he is ecstatic about the opportunity to play for the Vikings.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,’’ said Wieneke (via Tomasson). “I get to stay with the team I grew up loving and I get to stay in Minnesota. It can’t be anything better than this.’’
Dooley received $41K in guaranteed money with an $11K signing bonus and $30K in base salary.
Hill may be the most intriguing prospect of the bunch. The cornerback was suspended by Texas for the last month of the season for reasons that are still unknown. In terms of talent, he was regarded as a draftable player.
Meanwhile, running backs Thomas and Boone and fullback/running back Pettway have a reach chance at making the roster after the Vikings declined to select a running back over the weekend. After the departure of Jerick McKinnon, there are no other running backs to support Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray.