Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/21
Today’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Christian Kirk
- Released from IR: DE Josh Mauro
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: C Alex Mack
Cleveland Browns
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Kevin Johnson, DB Denzel Ward
Houston Texans
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Hjalte Froholdt, LB Whitney Mercilus, DB Eric Murray
COVID-19 Latest: Browns, Texans, Panthers
The Browns have closed their facility and delayed their flight to New Jersey because of a positive COVID-19 test. They are performing contract tracing ahead of their scheduled noon CT Sunday game against the Jets. While the Browns placed Jedrick Wills on their reserve/COVID-19 list, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the rookie left tackle did not test positive for the coronavirus. He and practice squad wideout Ryan Switzer are close contacts. However, Wills is expected to be pulled off the Browns’ virus list in order to start Sunday, Cabot adds. Cleveland indeed activated Wills off its reserve/COVID list but placed linebacker B.J. Goodson on it ahead of Sunday’s game. Goodson tested positive, Cabot reports. The Browns are planning to depart Cleveland at some point tonight, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.
Here is the latest from the NFL’s COVID-19 front:
- Deshaun Watson‘s restaurant opening has caused an issue for the Texans. Watson and other Houston players were photographed maskless at the recent indoor event, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Watson received a $7.5K fine. The Texans levied fines against some of his teammates as well, with ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop noting Laremy Tunsil, Brandin Cooks and Tytus Howard were among those at the event.
- Whitney Mercilus now resides on the Texans’ reserve/COVID-19 list, and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reports he tested positive for the virus (Twitter link). This is Mercilus’ second time on the COVID list; he landed there in November as a close contact of then-COVID-positive linebacker Jacob Martin. This will end Mercilus’ season — his ninth with the Texans. Thanks to his December 2019 extension, Mercilus is signed through the 2023 season.
- The Panthers‘ dustup with COVID earlier this month produced a series of fines. The team handed out fines of at least $10K to players who broke virus protocols during the team’s bye week earlier this month, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Wideouts D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel and Shaq Thompson, Derrick Brown and Greg Little were among those placed on the COVID list.
- After the Broncos were forced to use practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback earlier this season, the NFL tweaked its protocol to help teams in the event similar trouble emerges. Players already receiving COVID testing will be permitted to make their debuts for new teams without having to take virus tests six days apart, Pelissero tweets. This would allow for a team to sign a player off another team’s practice squad late in the week and use him in a game in an emergency scenario.
- Washington fined Dwayne Haskins $40K for breaking COVID protocols for the second time this season but did not suspend him.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/20
We’ve got a long list of all the minor transactions from the last day or so:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB De’Vante Bausby
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: LB Edmond Robinson
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: Deon Bush, Lachavious Simmons
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Margus Hunt
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: CB De’Vante Bausby
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: CB Tony McRae
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jarrad Davis
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Jordan Love, LB Kamal Martin, RB Jamaal Williams
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Dylan Cole, LB Whitney Mercilus, G Max Scharping
- Placed on IR: LB Kyle Emanuel, LB Brennan Scarlett
- Claimed off waivers from Washington: DE Nate Orchard
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DL Ron’Dell Carter
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/PUP list: T Martinas Rankin
- Waived: DE Demone Harris
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Natrez Patrick
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Todd Davis
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LS Austin Cutting
- Waived/failed-physical: LB Ben Gedeon
- Placed on IR: DB Holton Hill
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: TE Jordan Thomas
- Waived: LB Cassh Maluia
- Placed on IR: TE Dalton Keene
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Will Hernandez
- Waived: CB Corey Ballentine
New York Jets
- Activated off NFI list: CB Bryce Hall
- Waived: QB Mike White
- Placed on IR: TE Trevon Wesco
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Jeff Badet
- Waived: WR Tony Brown
Latest On Texans’ COVID-19 Situation
The Texans are working remotely Thursday and found out they will be without at least three linebackers this week. Jacob Martin tested positive for COVID-19, per Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Additionally, Whitney Mercilus has been deemed a high-risk close contact and will go on the Texans’ reserve/COVID-19 list. The Texans placed Mercilus and linebacker Dylan Cole on their COVID list, where guard Max Scharping remains.
Romeo Crennel said Martin and Scharping have experienced mild symptoms, per the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). Obtained in 2019’s Jadeveon Clowney trade, Martin has two sacks for the Texans this season. Given a recent extension, Mercilus is tied for the team lead with three midway through his ninth season in Houston. The Texans are down to two outside linebackers, with Kyle Emanuel in concussion protocol, and three inside ‘backers ahead of their Week 9 game.
The Texans join the Bears, Broncos, Cardinals, Packers, Ravens and 49ers as teams who have dealt with new COVID-19 developments this week. The U.S. documented more than 100,000 cases Wednesday, marking the first time the number entered six-figure territory since the pandemic began. As of 1:30pm CT, the NFL is proceeding with Green Bay’s Thursday game in San Francisco, despite both the Packers and 49ers having position groups decimated by the league’s coronavirus protocols. The Texans’ game in Jacksonville remains scheduled for noon CT Sunday.
Trade Rumors: Giants, Ryan, Fuller
After dealing Markus Golden to the Cardinals, it appears the 1-6 Giants have officially declared themselves sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Though GM Dave Gettleman may be reluctant to trade away veteran talent that could theoretically help Big Blue win a few games — and perhaps save Gettleman’s job in the process — players like Evan Engram, Kevin Zeitler, and Golden Tate could be available, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes (though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club is unlikely to deal Engram).
2017 second-round DT Dalvin Tomlinson could also be on the move, per Dunleavy. Tomlinson is playing out the last year of his rookie contract, and while he has expressed interest in staying with the Giants long-term, there has been little progress in contract talks.
As we creep closer to the November 3 deadline, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league:
- Big names like Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones are not going to be moved, as Rapoport writes in the same piece linked above. The same can be said for Jets QB Sam Darnold (though Darnold could be dealt this offseason). Gang Green may be more open to trading DT Quinnen Williams, but thus far interested teams have only offered a single second-round pick. That will not be enough to convince GM Joe Douglas to trade the talented interior defender.
- The 1-5 Vikings look like sellers after they traded Yannick Ngakoue, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Minnesota is open to dealing S Harrison Smith, TE Kyle Rudolph, and LT Riley Reiff. However, those players are not generating much interest, and the players that rival execs really want — WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith Jr. — seem likely to stay put.
- Another 1-5 outfit, the Texans, also anticipate making a trade or two, per La Canfora. Houston is in desperate need of draft capital, and receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller are coming up in discussions. Sources expect at least one of those players to be moved, and the team is also gauging the market for edge defender Whitney Mercilus.
- One team that could have an eye on the Texans’ receivers is the Patriots, who are once again looking for a pass catcher, as La Canfora writes. One year after the team’s ill-fated trade for Mohamed Sanu, New England wants to get a weapon for QB Cam Newton, and Cooks, Fuller, and Thielen could all be options.
- Washington QB Dwayne Haskins might be on the trade market, but the club hasn’t received much interest. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Haskins could be had for anything more than a sixth-round pick, but Washington hasn’t even gotten an offer that good yet. Although pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan has been the most-discussed Washington trade chip outside of Haskins, Rapoport says Ryan Anderson is more likely to be traded.
Texans, Whitney Mercilus Agree To Extension
The Texans will keep Whitney Mercilus in the fold on another extension. The eighth-year edge defender agreed to terms on a four-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
This agreement will mark a considerable raise for Mercilus, with Fox 26’s Mark Berman reporting (via Twitter) it is worth $53.5MM and comes with $28.5MM guaranteed. At $13.38MM per year, Mercilus will head into his age-30 season making more than double what he was over the past four years. He signed a four-year, $26MM deal in 2015. Mercilus said over the summer he wanted to remain in Houston, and the Texans convinced him to again bypass free agency to stay.
Mercilus’ second Houston contract was up at season’s end, but he will now join J.J. Watt as the primary members of the Texans’ edge-rushing group going into the 2020s. Previously operating as the team’s third-highest-profile pass rusher — behind Watt and Jadeveon Clowney — Mercilus has been thrust into a lead role down the stretch of this season.
While the Texans have struggled to generate sacks since Watt’s injury, Mercilus came through with two in last week’s AFC South-clinching win over the Buccaneers. The 29-year-old outside linebacker had previously gone seven games without a sack but now has 7.5 on the season — 3.5 more than he registered in 2018.
The Texans asked Mercilus to drop into coverage more frequently in 2018, leading to limited opportunities at sacks. But the Illinois alum has now posted four seasons with at least seven QB drops, peaking in 2015 with a 12-sack slate. Mercilus’ 50 sacks are third-most in Texans history — behind Watt (96) and Mario Williams (53).
With the Texans having traded Clowney after delaying an extension for years, they have identified the player they would like to be Watt’s top sidekick for the foreseeable future.
Whitney Mercilus Wants To Remain With Texans
Whitney Mercilus is entering the last year of the extension that he signed with the Texans in May 2015, but there has been no talk about a new deal for the former first-round pick at this point. And from the team’s perspective, that makes sense, as Mercilus suffered a season-ending pectoral injury five games into the 2017 campaign, wasn’t particularly effective last year — though he appeared in all 17 regular and postseason games — and hasn’t totaled double-digit sacks since 2015.
But the lower sack totals, at least, are not too much of a concern at this point, as Mercilus is no longer being featured as a primary pass rusher. Last year, not only did his snap count drop (partially due to a sore hamstring that bothered him throughout the first part of the season), but he was also routinely asked to drop into pass coverage for the first time in his career.
As Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes, Mercilus concedes that the new responsibilities came with a learning curve. He said, “it was a new adjustment for me: understanding and dropping back into pass coverage, helping out there with the route combinations that were there and jumbling around in my head.”
But he believes that a fully healthy offseason and a year of experience in a different role will yield improved production, and he thinks that his newfound versatility will be a boon to him and to the Texans.
Mercilus is also hopeful that a better showing in 2019 will lead to a new contract with the Texans. When asked if he wants to remain in Houston, he said, “[o]f course. Once we cross that road, we will. Right now, I’m just focusing on having the most stellar season that I can.”
Houston’s coaching staff is confident that Mercilus’ athleticism and intelligence will allow him to thrive, and if he does, then the team would certainly be open to re-signing the soon-to-be 29-year-old. The fact that he is well-liked in the locker room and active in the community could also help his cause.
Whitney Mercilus Cleared To Return From Injury
Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus has been cleared to return to the field from his pectoral injury, the player tells the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain.
The pass-rushing linebacker had missed just two games in his first five seasons before suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the fifth game of the 2017 season vs. Kansas City. The injury forced him to miss the rest of the season.
“I got cleared about a month ago and I’m ready to rock and roll,” he said. “Despite the pec, having a year of recovery on the body, I feel fresh energized. I need somewhere to put this energy, so I can’t wait to put on the pads.”
With Mercilus and J.J. Watt fully healthy to go along with Jadeveon Clowney, the Texans have the makings of one of the top pass-rushing squads in 2018. The team’s ability to get after the passer was also a big reason why safety Tyrann Mathieu decided to sign with the team in free agency.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/17
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted to active roster: WR Tanner Gentry
- Released: WR Deonte Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Whitney Mercilus (story), DL J.J. Watt (story)
- Signed off Cardinals‘ practice squad: OL Dorian Johnson
Texans LB Whitney Mercilus Done For Season
The Texans’ Sunday night went from bad to worst, as the club not only lost superstar defensive lineman J.J. Watt, but edge rusher Whitney Mercilus. A torn pectoral will require surgery and end Mercilus’ 2017 campaign, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 28.
[RELATED: J.J. Watt Out For Year]
Houston ranked fourth in defensive DVOA and seventh in adjusted sack rate heading into Week 5, but have now seen two of their best defensive players go down in a single night. Without Watt and Mercilus available, the Texans could give more work to internal options Brennan Scarlett or Ufomba Kamalu, or potentially promote practice squad players LaTroy Lewis or Gimel President.
A free agent acquisition can’t be ruled out, as well, and there are a number of edge defenders who could make sense for the Texans. Dwight Freeney, Mario Williams, Paul Kruger, Jaye Howard, Arthur Jones, and Vance Walker are among the available players who could provide assistance on either the defensive line or at outside linebacker. Houston has auditioned linebackers such as Andrew Gachkar and Michael Mauti in recent weeks, but those veterans are more valuable on special teams than in defensive packages.
Mercilus will be difficult to replace, however, as the 27-year-old ‘backer has become an underrated asset over the past few seasons. From 2015-16, Mercilus put up 19.5 sacks for the Texans, and had managed one quarterback takedown in 2017. Pro Football Focus had graded Mercilus as just the No. 46 edge defender this season, but his marks had been significantly better in the prior two years.
Mercilus is signed through the 2019 campaign under the terms of an extension he signed in 2015. He’s due base salaries of $4.75MM and $5.75MM over the next two seasons.