Quinton Dunbar To Undergo Surgery
Quinton Dunbar will not return from the Seahawks’ IR list this season. The veteran cornerback will undergo a surgery that will sideline him until 2021, Pete Carroll said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, on Twitter).
A knee injury sidelined Dunbar last month; he has been out since Week 9. This news comes a week after Dunbar returned to practice. The former UDFA is due to be a free agent in March.
Acquired from Washington for a fifth-round pick, Dunbar encountered a legal issue this offseason but ended up avoiding charges and a suspension. The sixth-year veteran started six Seahawks games but did not play as well as he did during his final Washington campaign. After a four-INT 2019 season that featured a 61.2 passer rating allowed on passes thrown his way, Dunbar allowed a 111.0 passer rating on 54 targets this year.
This is a bad break for the 28-year-old defender, who was discussing an extension with the Bruce Allen-led Washington front office before the franchise changed regimes. He will head into free agency with less momentum than he had after his 2019 breakthrough.
Seattle also has Tre Flowers on IR but has received positive results from waiver claim D.J. Reed lately. The ex-49ers corner broke up a season-high three passes Sunday, intercepted another and recovered a fumble against Washington.
No Reinstatement For Seahawks’ Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon won’t be making his return this week after all. The Seahawks were notified by the league office that he has not satisfied all terms of his conditional reinstatement (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). 
Gordon has suffered a setback in his battle with substance abuse, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The wide receiver will be permitted to attend team meetings and individual workouts, but he’ll be barred from practices or games until the matter is resolved.
Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for Gordon, who has been suspended nine times as a pro — mostly for from substance-abuse violations. Still, he excelled in a limited sample with the Seahawks last year, and the team happily re-signed him with the hope that he could serve as the team’s No. 3 receiver behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Without Gordon, they’ll continue to use David Moore as one of the leading supporters, plus rookie Freddie Swain.
Gordon, 29, caught 27 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown in eleven games for the Pats and Seahawks last year. In his five Seattle games, he averaged an eye-popping 19.9 yards per grab.
The Seahawks waived fellow wide receiver Penny Hart to make room for Gordon earlier this week. Hart remains unsigned, so the Seahawks may look to bring him back in the coming days.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/22/20
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR A.J. Richardson
- Released: DL P.J. Johnson
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Anthony Edwards
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: WR Gary Jennings
Carolina Panthers
- Activated off practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Ishmael Hyman
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Spencer Ware
- Activated off practice squad injured list: WR Thomas Ives
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Elijah Benton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: C Jon Toth
- Released: OL Marcus Martin
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Anthony Pittman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: K J.J. Molson
- Released: OL Anthony Fabiano
Houston Texans
- Signed: DL Willie Henry, CB Brandon Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB Elijah McGuire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DE David Irving
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Dee Virgin
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Marquise Copeland, LB Derrick Moncrief
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Marcus Kemp
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Garrett Griffin, QB Trevor Siemian
New York Giants
- Signed: S Montre Hartage
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Tyler Gaffney
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Josh Johnson, WR Kevin White
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: OL Andrew Jones
Washington Football Team
- Signed: WR Jeff Badet
Seahawks Activate Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon: Activated. The Seahawks have returned the wide receiver to the roster, setting the stage for his 2020 debut.
Gordon’s indefinite suspension for substance-abuse and performance-enhancing drug violations kept him away from the team. On Dec. 3, the NFL lifted his ban and cleared him to practice starting this week. Gordon is reportedly in excellent shape and ready to contribute to the 10-4 Seahawks.
The former All-Pro has been suspended nine times since his NFL career began in 2012. Most of those suspensions have stemmed from substance-abuse policy violations. In eleven games with the Pats and Seahawks last season, Gordon caught 27 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. His yards-per-catch average was a stellar 19.9 in his five Seahawks games, and Pete Carroll is eager to see more of the same from Gordon.
“I’m anxious to see how he fits in,” Carroll said this week. “He’s a really impressive athlete, big kid, you know, and moves so well and so gracefully. I’m anxious to see how he looks quickness-wise with everybody else. Last year he jumped in and it was immediately obvious that he could compete.”
Gordon’s debut could come on Sunday when the Seahawks face the Rams in Seattle.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: WR Chris Moore
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Geno Stone
- Placed on IR: CB Davontae Harris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Kevin Hogan
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Brian Allen
Houston Texans
- Activated from commissioner’s exempt list: CB Mark Fields II, RB Dontrell Hilliard
- Waived: DT Corey Liuget
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Logan Cooke
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Erik Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Trey Pipkins
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: WR Antonio Callaway
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB James Bradberry
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Danny Isidora
- Waived: TE Kevin Rader
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Penny Hart
Washington Football Team
- Placed on IR: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
Washington To Sign LB Mychal Kendricks
The Washington Football Team is signing veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks off the Seahawks’ practice squad, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post says that Kendricks will fly privately to Washington and will be available to play immediately (Twitter link).
This is pursuant to a new wrinkle in COVID-19 protocols that allows players already being tested by a team — like Kendricks — to join or try out for a new team without going through the six-day entry testing period. The absence of such a provision is what forced the Broncos to play a game without a QB when their entire quarterback room was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Kendricks has not played a single snap this season. He hooked on with Seattle’s taxi squad in October, was briefly released when it appeared he would be signing elsewhere, and rejoined the P-squad when the other deal fell through. He did play 14 games (all starts) for the ‘Hawks in 2019, and he has 103 appearances (91 starts) in his pro career.
The 30-year-old ‘backer has appeared in PFR pages a great deal over the past several years, thanks largely to the fact that he pleaded guilty to insider trading in 2018. His sentencing has been postponed multiple times, so he remains eligible to play in the NFL.
Washington’s defense is a big reason why the team sits atop the NFC East standings, and linebackers Kevin Pierre-Louis and Cole Holcomb have turned in productive campaigns. However, neither player was able suit up for yesterday’s loss to the Seahawks, and Kendricks will provide experienced depth if nothing else.
Josh Gordon To Rejoin Seahawks
Seahawks wide receiver Josh Gordon was conditionally reinstated by the league earlier this month, and according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Gordon has thus far adhered to the terms of that reinstatement (Twitter link). He will join the team on the practice field tomorrow.
Though the 29-year-old wideout re-signed with Seattle in early September, he has not been eligible to practice. Instead, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Gordon has been limited to working with the strength and conditioning staff. Apparently, that work has paid off, as Pelissero reports that Gordon is in excellent shape.
The saga of the 2013 receiving yards leader is quite familiar to NFL fans. Gordon has been suspended nine times since his pro career began in 2012, and most of those bans stemmed from violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. The new CBA created a more lenient reality for non-PED drug violations, and Gordon, to his credit, has not given up in his quest to continue his playing career.
In 11 games with the Pats and Seahawks last season, Gordon caught 27 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. His yards-per-catch average was a stellar 19.9 in his five Seahawks games, and things were seemingly going well with him in Seattle before he was hit with his latest suspension.
Seattle is jostling for an NFC West title, and Gordon could be a quality option for Russell Wilson in a receiving corps that also includes D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and David Moore.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: CB Delrick Abrams Jr.
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, QB Tyler Huntley, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Waived: TE Luke Willson
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Xavier Crawford
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: G Michael Dunn
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: CB Trevon Diggs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chidobe Awuzie
- Promoted: T Jordan Mills, RB Sewo Olonilua, CB Chris Westry
- Placed on IR: CB Deante Burton, LB Justin March-Lillard
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: T Halapoulivaati Vaitai
- Promoted: LB Kareem Martin, OL Marcus Martin, CB Alex Myres
- Placed on IR: DL Da’Shawn Hand
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: LB Brennan Scarlett
- Promoted: CB Anthony Chesley, WR Chad Hansen, DT Auzoyah Alufohai
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: OL Joey Hunt
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: CB Chris Claybrooks, G Andrew Norwell
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Tre Herndon
- Promoted: CB Quenton Meeks, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Isaiah Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Jake Gervase
New England Patriots
- Activated off IR: LB Shilique Calhoun
- Waived: DT Isaiah Mack
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Will Clapp, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR Juwan Johnson, WR Tommylee Lewis
- Waived: TE Garrett Griffin, QB Trevor Siemian
- Placed on IR: WR Deonte Harris
New York Giants
- Activated off IR: S Adrian Colbert
- Promoted: QB Clayton Thorson, QB/WR Joe Webb, DB Jarren Williams, DB Quincy Wilson
- Waived: DB Montre Hartage
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: K Sam Ficken
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, LB Sharif Finch, DL Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Blake Countess, CB Jameson Houston
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: LB Mark Nzeocha
- Promoted: TE Daniel Helm, OL Dakoda Shepley, OL Isaiah Williams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Charlie Woerner
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/suspended list: DE Damontre Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Travis Homer, OL Jamarco Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Brooks Reed, OL Daniel Munyer, LB Wyatt Ray
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kalif Raymond
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: QB Steven Montez, RB Michael Warren
Seahawks Expected To Activate RB Rashaad Penny
Rashaad Penny is on track to make his season debut tomorrow against Washington. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that the Seahawks will activate the running back off the PUP list.
Penny, the 27th-overall pick in the 2018 draft, was unable to supplant Chris Carson as the starter during his first two seasons in the NFL, but he still put up solid numbers as a backup. In 24 games, Penny has 150 carries for 789 yards (5.3 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns. He’s also added 17 receptions for 158 yards and one score.
However, Penny suffered a torn ACL at the end of last season, and the 24-year-old landed on the reserve/PUP list to start the 2020 campaign. He started practicing last week, and despite Pete Carroll initially insisting that they wouldn’t rush Penny’s return, the running back quickly drew high praise from the head coach.
“He’s really in good shape. I don’t know what that means for next week, but he looked as healthy as anybody out there,” Carroll said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “So we’ll take it one shot at a time here, but very, very positive initial return and I know he’s really jacked about it.”
While the Seahawks found themselves with a depleted running back corps down the stretch of last season, they now find themselves with a full depth chart. Carson and Carlos Hyde are both healthy, and the team is also rostering fourth-round rookie DeeJay Dallas. Penny will once again have to battle for carries, but the Seahawks will surely give him a look prior to the postseason.
Seahawks Expected To Sign G Alex Boone
Days after Alex Boone‘s Ravens visit, the veteran guard will land a job. It will not be in Baltimore, however. The Seahawks are expected to sign Boone to their practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
This is contingent on Boone going through the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, which require nearly a week’s worth of negative tests. But Boone is en route to Seattle to begin testing.
The former 49ers, Vikings and Cardinals blocker has not played since the 2017 season. He would be another high-profile addition to the Seahawks practice squad. Damon Harrison landed with Seattle’s taxi squad earlier this season, and the Seahawks promoted him to their active roster weeks later. Boone may need a similar acclimation period, though not much time remains for it. But the longtime 49ers starter has been interested in returning to the league for several months; he looks to have secured an opportunity.
Boone will be reuniting with former 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari, who currently serves as the Seahawks’ O-line coach. Boone, 33, was a starter with San Francisco, Minnesota and Arizona from 2012-17. He started for the 49ers in the 2013 NFC championship game in Seattle and has played in the NFC West for all but one season since arriving in the league as a 2009 UDFA.
The Seahawks have used rookie Damien Lewis and ex-Boone teammate Mike Iupati as their primary guard starters this season. At this stage of his career, Boone would profile as potential insurance. While he has played guard as a pro, Boone does have tackle experience. He started at left tackle for multiple seasons at Ohio State.