Patriots To Sign Terrance Mitchell
Terrance Mitchell has found a new home. On Wednesday, the Patriots agreed to sign the ex-Texans cornerback to a one-year, $3MM deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). 
[RELATED: Pats’ JC Jackson Joins Chargers]
The 29-year-old joined the Texans last offseason, inking a two-year, $7.5MM deal. He started 13 of his 14 games during his lone season in Houston, collecting 60 tackles, ten passes defended, and one interception. He ended up seeing time in 69% of his team’s defensive snaps, and he garnered the second-most defensive snaps (796) in Houston.
Mitchell previously spent three seasons in Cleveland, starting 27 of his 39 games. He’s also had stints with the Bears, Cowboys, and Chiefs.
Now, he’s the Patriots first out-of-house signing of 2022. He might not be a top-tier corner, but he could help to offset the loss of J.C. Jackson, the Pats’ former leading cornerback who joined the Chargers on a five-year, $82.5MM deal this week.
Texans To Release CB Terrance Mitchell
Terrance Mitchell‘s stint with the Texans has already come to an end. The Texans informed the veteran cornerback that he will be released, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
The 29-year-old joined the Texans last offseason, inking a two-year, $7.5MM deal. He started 13 of his 14 games during his lone season in Houston, collecting 60 tackles, 10 passes defended, and one interception. He ended up seeing time in 69 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, and he garnered the second-most defensive snaps (796) on the squad.
Mitchell previously spent three seasons in Cleveland, starting 27 of his 39 games. He’s also had stints with the Bears, Cowboys, and Chiefs. The Oregon product was a seventh-round pick by the Cowboys in 2014.
The defensive back was set to have a $3.4MM cap hit in 2022. Thanks to an out in his contract, the Texans will only be left with $250K in dead cap following today’s move.
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/25-12/26/21
We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Christmas and today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyeler Davison
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Justice Hill, QB Tyler Huntley
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Dion Dawkins
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Rashaan Melvin, WR Brandon Zylstra
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Chidobe Awuzie
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Wyatt Ray, NT D.J. Reader
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Alex Taylor
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Kevin King
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, LB Christian Kirksey, DE Jacob Martin, C Justin McCray, DB Terrance Mitchell
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Darius Leonard, WR Zach Pascal, DB Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jordan Smith, LB Myles Jack
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Nick Bolton, WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce, T Lucas Niang
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Nate Hobbs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Bryan Edwards, QB Marcus Mariota
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mike Williams, RB Austin Ekeler
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Andrew Whitworth
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Solomon Kindley, WR Albert Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Sean Mannion, T Rashod Hill
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Deatrich Wise
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Carl Granderson, WR Deonte Harris, T Jerald Hawkins, DB KeiVarae Russell, DL Malcolm Roach
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Cam Brown
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Natrell Jamerson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: NT Danny Shelton, T Nate Solder
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Quinnen Williams
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DE Jabari Zuniga
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Shaun Bradley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Steven Sims
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Kerry Hyder
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Blessuan Austin
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Nate Davis
Washington Football Team
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Wendell Smallwood, K Joey Slye
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Rodney Hudson
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark
Chicago Bears
- Activated for return: OT Germain Ifedi, CB Duke Shelley
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Terrence Brooks, DB Terrance Mitchell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: CB Dicaprio Bootle, DE Cortez Broughton, WR Daurice Fountain, LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Scott Quessenberry
- Promoted: DB Ben Deluca
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: LB Ronnie Perkins
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Cameron Jordan
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Wes Martin
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Elijah Moore, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Washington Football Team
- Signed: DT Akeem Spence (story)
Texans Expected To Sign CB Terrance Mitchell
It sounds like Terrance Mitchell is returning to Houston. The free agent cornerback is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Texans, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The pact is worth up to $7.5MM.
The 2014 seventh-round pick out of Oregon has put together a seven-year career with six different teams. That includes a brief stint with the Texans in 2016; Mitchell was claimed off waivers by Houston during the 2016 offseason, but he was waived at the end of the preseason.
Mitchell inked a three-year, $12MM deal with the Browns back in 2018, but he didn’t settle into a full-time starting role until his final season in Cleveland. This past year, the 28-year-old started all 16 games for the Browns, compiling a career-high 65 tackles to go along with three forced fumbles and 13 passes defended.
The Texans have been busy adding to their defense. Over the past few days, the team has agreed to terms with linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis.
Denzel Ward To Miss Wild-Card Game
The Browns’ uphill battle in their first playoff game in 18 years became steeper Saturday. The team announced it will be without top cornerback Denzel Ward in Pittsburgh.
Ward will remain on the Browns’ reserve/COVID-19 list. So will fellow starting cornerback Kevin Johnson, who also tested positive last week. Both missing last week limited a Browns secondary in a game when Mason Rudolph threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns.
Based on his timeline, coronavirus protocols would have allowed Ward to suit up against the Steelers. But this would have required Ward being asymptomatic and passing the necessary tests. The third-year corner has not hit the necessary checkpoints, which will leave the Browns shorthanded Sunday night. The NFL found some COVID-19 spread within the Browns but did not move to postpone the AFC North playoff matchup.
However, the Browns will have some players back for their Steelers tilt. The team activated safety Ronnie Harrison, linebacker Malcolm Smith and tight end Harrison Bryant from its virus list. Harrison tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, but the NFL deemed it a false positive, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Browns corner Terrance Mitchell was held out of practice Friday after testing positive, per Cabot, but that has also since been deemed a false positive.
The returns of Harrison, Smith and Bryant leave Ward, Johnson, Joel Bitonio and KhaDarel Hodge on Cleveland’s COVID list. Several coaches, however, will miss the game. Kevin Stefanski, offensive line coach Bill Callahan, assistant O-line coach Scott Peters, tight ends coach Drew Petzing and DBs coach Jeff Howard are out Sunday night. After coaching the Browns’ wide receivers last week, first-year Cleveland assistant Callie Brownson will coach tight ends this week, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets.
Browns Activate DB Terrance Mitchell From IR
Terrance Mitchell is back. The Browns announced that they’ve activated the defensive back from the injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team placed TE Pharaoh Brown on the IR.
Mitchell signed a three-year, $12MM deal with the Browns this offseason, and he proceeded to start each of Cleveland’s first three games. The 26-year-old was productive during the early stretch of the season, compiling 19 tackles, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception. This followed a 2017 campaign where he established career-highs in tackles (53), passes defended (18) and interceptions (four) with the Chiefs.
Mitchell ended up fracturing his wrist in late September, landing him on the injured reserve. With the former seventh-rounder back on the active roster, he’ll be joining a cornerbacks corps that currently features T.J. Carrie, Denzel Ward, Phillip Gaines, Tavierre Thomas, and Juston Burris.
Brown has split the season between the Browns’ active roster and practice squad, and he’s been listed as inactive for Cleveland’s past five games. The move now leaves the Browns with four tight ends in David Njoku, Darren Fells, Seth Devalve, and Orson Charles.
Browns Designate CB Terrance Mitchell For Return
The Browns designated cornerback Terrance Mitchell for return, per a team announcement. Mitchell has not been on the field since suffering a broken wrist in Week 4.
Mitchell took the practice field on Wednesday, but league rules mandate that he must sit out for two more games before seeing live action. He’s the first Browns player designated to return from IR this season.
Mitchell, joined the Browns in March as a free agent and secured a starting job in the team’s revamped secondary. In the first month of the season, he recorded 19 tackles, one interception, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
After Mitchell was knocked out of action, E.J. Gaines stepped into his role. Unfortunately, Gaines has since been lost for the season due to multiple concussions, leading to some serious shuffling in the secondary.
After sitting out the next two games against the Bengals and Texans, Mitchell will be eligible to play on Dec. 9 against the Panthers.
Browns Place CB Terrance Mitchell On IR
The Browns have placed cornerback Terrance Mitchell on injured reserve and promoted defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon from the practice squad, the club announced today.
Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson announced Sunday that Mitchell would miss time after suffering a broken wrist, but the Browns have now decided that Mitchell’s recovery timeline will necessitate an IR trip. Mitchell will be forced by league rule to miss eight games, but he could conceivably be activated later this season. A free agent signing earlier this year, Mitchell had two forced fumbles, one of which he recovered himself, and an interception while grading as the No. 72 corner among 110 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
With Mitchell sidelined, the Browns will now need to decide who starts opposite No. 1 cornerback Denzel Ward. On Cleveland’s latest depth chart, E.J. Gaines is listed as a starting outside corner, leaving T.J. Carrie — who joined Mitchell and Gaines as 2018 free agent additions — in the slot. Denzel Rice, Tavierre Thomas, and McKinnon could also be in line for additional snaps, especially if more injuries occur.
Browns’ Terrance Mitchell To Miss Time
Browns cornerback Terrance Mitchell will miss significant time after suffering a broken wrist, coach Hue Jackson announced. Jackson is optimistic that the starting defender could return at some point, but that’s all up in the air right now.
It’s a bad break for the Browns as Mitchell was playing well before the injury in Sunday’s game against the Raiders. Through three games and change, Mitchell had two forced fumbles, one of which he recovered himself, and an interception.
The good news is that the browns are better equipped to deal with a starting cornerback injury than most teams in the NFL. Without Mitchell, they can turn to free agent pickups T.J. Carrie and E.J. Gaines to provide support alongside No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward.