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Minor NFL Transactions: 1/9/21

January 9th, 2021 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest NFL minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed to reserve/futures deal: QB/WR Joe Webb

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Denzel Ward To Miss Wild-Card Game

January 9th, 2021 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Cowboys Fire Mike Nolan, Jim Tomsula

January 8th, 2021 at 3:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Nolan will be a one-and-done as Cowboys defensive coordinator. The veteran assistant coach and former HC received his walking papers Friday, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweets. The Cowboys also fired defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The Cowboys were not able to right the ship defensively this season. The embattled unit forced Dak Prescott into early-season shootouts and left the team overmatched at times after the Cowboys lost their starting quarterback. Nolan’s defense ranked 28th in scoring — down from 11th in 2019 under Rod Marinelli — and even though DVOA was a bit kinder to his unit’s performance (23rd), the Cowboys will designate him as their major scapegoat for a 6-10 season.

This marked Nolan’s eighth DC opportunity. The former 49ers HC has been a defensive coordinator since the 1993 season, though when Mike McCarthy summoned Nolan to be his defensive leader in Dallas, Nolan had not served in that capacity since overseeing the 2014 Falcons defense. The Cowboys gave up at least 34 points from Weeks 2-6, allowed 41 to Washington — DVOA’s No. 32 offense — during Dallas’ Thanksgiving game.

The 218 points the Cowboys allowed through six games tied for the third-worst mark in NFL history, and the 473 points Nolan’s troops ceded during the 2020 season doubled as the most in the franchise’s 61-year history. Allowing more than 290 yards in losses to the Browns and Ravens, the Cowboys ranked 31st against the run.

The Cowboys brought in Tomsula — best known for his time in San Francisco, which included a one-year run (2015) as 49ers HC — after he spent three seasons with Washington. While the veteran assistant coaxed strong work from Washington’s D-line last season and oversaw Aldon Smith‘s comeback season, the Cowboys will replace him soon.

Jerry Jones provided repeated assurances McCarthy would be back. And OC Kellen Moore turned down a path back to Boise State to stay in Dallas. While Prescott’s contract will (again) be the top Cowboys offseason priority, upgrading at defensive coordinator will be critical to restoring a Cowboys team that has ventured off track over the past two seasons.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/21

January 8th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Rory Parks

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

NFL Finds COVID-19 Spread Within Browns

January 8th, 2021 at 12:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jan. 8: There is finally some good news to report on the Browns’ COVID-19 situation. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the only new positive test today was assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters, who had already been identified as a high risk close contact. Hopefully, this means that the spread has been contained.

The wildcard game against the Steelers remains scheduled for Sunday night.

Jan. 7: The Browns learned Thursday they will be without another starter against the Steelers. Ronnie Harrison tested positive for COVID-19, the Browns announced. The team will have another starting safety — Andrew Sendejo — back for its playoff opener, but the NFL has determined some coronavirus spread has occurred within the Browns.

NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said “there was some spread from one individual to another,” via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Previously, the league deemed the Browns’ virus issue as having resulted from a spread within the Cleveland-area community.

Despite the Browns being down head coach Kevin Stefanski, Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and others, the game remains on schedule for Sunday night, Pelissero tweets. However, contact tracing is ongoing and intra-team spreads have triggered postponements this season.

The Steelers saw multiple games — against the Titans and Ravens — postponed because of COVID-19 spreading within those teams’ facilities. The NFL could face a decision soon. It is not out of the question the AFC North matchup is postponed, per the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, but a “bigger bump” in spread would need to happen (Twitter link).

Even in the event of a postponement of a day or two, the Browns would not have Stefanski or Bitonio back due to their positive tests occurring earlier this week. Cleveland also has key contributors Denzel Ward, Kevin Johnson, KhaDarel Hodge, Malcolm Smith and Harrison Bryant on its reserve/COVID-19 list. Ward could be activated in time for Sunday’s game but only if he has not encountered symptoms.

The Browns also placed linebacker Montrel Meander on the practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list but moved linebacker B.J. Goodson back onto their active roster after his stay on the COVID list. Harrison just returned to action, playing in Week 17 after missing several late-season games due to a shoulder injury.

Giants Waive Devonta Freeman

January 8th, 2021 at 10:01am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have officially waived running back Devonta Freeman from injured reserve. The move is more of a formality than anything, since Freeman’s contract is set to expire. 

[RELATED: Giants Extend Patrick Graham]

Freeman inked a one-year deal with the G-Men in September, after Saquon Barkley was lost for the year. The one-time star would play in just five games before spending time on IR and the COVID-19 list. Freeman leaves New Jersey with 171 yards off of 54 carries, resulting in a 3.2 yards per carry average, plus one rushing touchdown. He didn’t do much in the passing game either, finishing with seven catches for 58 yards.

It was a far cry from Freeman’s best work with the Falcons. With Atlanta, Freeman managed two 1,000-yard seasons with 1,500+ scrimmage yards. Freeman won’t turn 29 until March, but his salad days are a distant memory at this point.

Freeman will be free to sign with any club in the spring, but teams won’t be lining up for him. If the Drew Rosenhaus client continues to play, he’ll likely put pen to paper sometime closer to the start of the season.

Chiefs To Bring Back P Dustin Colquitt

January 7th, 2021 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dustin Colquitt will soon be back with the Chiefs. The longtime Kansas City punter agreed to rejoin the team Thursday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Interestingly, the 16th-year veteran agreed to a practice squad deal. The Chiefs cut Colquitt last year to make room for his rookie replacement, Tommy Townsend.

A 2005 Chiefs third-round pick, Colquitt remained active after his April release. He latched on with the Steelers and Jaguars, punting in six games this season and was briefly with the Buccaneers. The 38-year-old specialist now appears set to be an insurance option for the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Chiefs used Colquitt as their punter for 238 regular-season games and in 12 playoff contests, including Super Bowl LIV. The second-generation NFL punter averaged 43.6 yards per punt during the 2020 regular season, a tick down from his 44.3-yard average in the final season of his first Chiefs stay. The Chiefs acquired Townsend as a UDFA in April.

Rams Activate Andrew Whitworth From IR

January 7th, 2021 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andrew Whitworth will be back for the Rams’ playoff opener. After missing seven games because of an MCL tear and PCL damage, the 15th-year left tackle is back on Los Angeles’ active roster.

The Rams activated Whitworth from their IR-DTR list and waived linebacker Natrez Patrick, per a team announcement. Whitworth returned to practice last week and was viewed as likely to return in time for Rams-Seahawks III.

Whitworth, who intends to return for a 16th NFL season, has the Rams’ starting left tackle since arriving in 2017. He has started in each of the team’s previous four Sean McVay-era playoff games. Pro Football Focus graded the 39-year-old blocker as its No. 4 overall tackle through 10 games this year. Whitworth suffered the injury during the Rams’ Week 10 win against the Seahawks.

In addition to Whitworth’s impending return, the Rams saw Cooper Kupp return to practice and are expected to have Michael Brockers back this week as well. Both missed Week 17 after landing on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list as high-risk close contacts.

Buccaneers Add LB Deone Bucannon To Practice Squad

January 6th, 2021 at 6:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Deone Bucannon has landed back in Tampa Bay. The team announced that they’ve signed the linebacker to their practice squad. To make room, the team released guard Nick Leverett from the practice squad (via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter).

Linebacker Devin White remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be able to suit up for Saturday’s Wild Card matchup against Washington. At the very least, Bucannon will provide Tampa Bay will some extra depth at the position during practice this week. At the very best, Bucannon could find himself elevated to the roster, with Scott Smith of the team website noting that the veteran is a “candidate” for a promotion.

Bucannon, 28, has plenty of experience with the Buccaneers’ defense, having played five games for the team in 2019 and played four seasons under Bucs head coach Bruce Arians in Arizona. The linebacker split his 2019 campaign between the Buccaneers and Giants, compiling 28 tackles in 14 games. It’s been a while since Bucannon was a full-time starter, but he averaged 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 forced fumbles, and three passes defended in 14.3 games per season between the 2014 and 2017 campaigns.

Leverett was a four-year starter at North Carolina Central University and Rice. He joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent back in April, and he landed on their practice squad in September.

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