Devin White Tests Positive For COVID-19
Devin White is out for the Buccaneers’ regular-season finale and likely the team’s playoff opener. The second-year linebacker tested positive for COVID-19, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
In addition to White being sidelined, the Bucs placed Shaquil Barrett on their reserve/COVID-19 list. As a close contact, Barrett will miss Week 17. As a close contact, Barrett will be eligible to return for Tampa Bay’s wild-card game.
White and Barrett represent two key pillars of the Bucs’ pass rush. Despite profiling as an off-ball linebacker, White has nine sacks this season. Barrett has produced eight. Jason Pierre-Paul (team-high 9.5) will go it alone this week, and the Bucs will face the NFC East champion next week — in all likelihood — without part of their standout inside ‘backer tandem.
The Bucs used the No. 5 overall pick on White last year, marking the first time a team had devoted a top-five selection to a traditional linebacker since the Seahawks chose Aaron Curry fourth overall in 2009. White has worked out better thus far. Though Pro Football Focus has not been especially impressed with the non-pass-rushing elements of White’s game this season, he is far and away the Bucs’ tackles leader with 140. The LSU product has also racked up 15 tackles for loss and 16 QB hits in what has been a breakthrough second season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/1/21
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR J.J. Nelson, CB Duke Thomas
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: S Josh Thomas, RB Christian Wade
- Released: OL Marquel Harrell, LB Deon Lacey, CB Lafayette Pitts
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OT Jordan Mills
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Josh Johnson, K Tristan Vizcaino, WR Kevin White
Washington Football Team
- Signed: RB Jonathan Williams
- Released: RB Javon Leake
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/20
Here are the minor moves from 2020’s final day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chris Banjo
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Alex Mack
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: P Johnny Townsend
- Activated from IR: DB Terrell Bonds
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: C B.J. Finney
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: TE Jake Butt
- Placed on IR: DL Shelby Harris
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: DL Anthony Rush
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Logan Cooke
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Keenan Allen
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Kirk Merritt, QB Jake Rudock
- Placed on IR: LB Elandon Roberts
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: DE Tashawn Bower, LB Josh Uche
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Jalen Mills
Rams Place Michael Brockers On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Rams continue to run into obstacles in the leadup to their Week 17 game against the Cardinals. While most of them have been on offense, Los Angeles’ defense may be set to be without a key player.
Michael Brockers now resides on the Rams’ reserve/COVID-19 list. It is not yet known if the veteran defensive lineman tested positive or is classified as one of the two types of close contacts. This classification will determine if Brockers is eligible to suit up Sunday in a game that may determine if the Rams make the playoffs.
This move comes after the Rams ruled out Jared Goff for Week 17, placed Darrell Henderson on IR and placed Cooper Kupp on the COVID list. Cam Akers did not practice Wednesday and, considering he is dealing with a high ankle sprain, must be considered iffy at best for Sunday’s game. The Rams moved Micah Kiser off IR this week but did so in a procedural move. The inside linebacker is not expected to play. Although Andrew Whitworth returned to practice, it is not certain if the longtime left tackle will be back this week either.
Aaron Donald‘s longtime sidekick up front, Brockers opted to return to the Rams after his Ravens agreement fell through. He has again delivered, registering five sacks — a half-sack shy of his career high — and a career-most 10 QB hits. The 30-year-old defender has been a key player for the Rams since being selected in the 2012 first round and has obviously been central to the team’s defensive resurgence this season.
The Rams can make the playoffs with a win over the Cardinals or a Bears loss to the Packers. Given their expanding list of unavailable or potentially unavailable players, the latter route is becoming increasingly more relevant.
Ravens To Extend Jimmy Smith
The Ravens and cornerback Jimmy Smith have agreed to an extension, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Once finalized, it’ll be a one-year add-on that, technically, could be worth up to $5MM. In reality, Smith will receive $500K to sign and $2MM in base comp (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The rest of the $5MM figure comes from $2.5MM in not likely to be earned (NLTBE) incentives.
Smith was originally set for free agency, though it would have been a shock to see him land elsewhere. He’s spent his entire career in Baltimore since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2011. Last year, he briefly dipped his toe in the free agent waters only to return on a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, plus $2.5MM in incentives.
Smith made the fewest starts of his career (five) in 2019, thanks in large part to a knee injury that sidelined him for much of the season. This year, he’s managed to appear in 11 of 15 possible games. Smith has missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, so he may or may not see time against the Bengals on Sunday. In any event, the Ravens have multiple paths to the playoffs and a 90% probability of clinching, per FiveThirtyEight.
Smith has been dogged by injuries, but he’s been a steady hand when healthy. Now, the versatile vet will remain in Baltimore through his age-33 season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/30/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Gary Jennings
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Sojourn Shelton
- Placed on practice squad IR: OL Badara Traore
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Ryan Switzer
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Terry Godwin
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Eric Banks
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Tyshun Render
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Tommylee Lewis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Ray-Ray Armstrong, TE Luke Willson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Cody Hollister
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Sam Koch
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: S Ronnie Harrison
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Braden Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: DE Clelin Ferrell
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Daryl Worley
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jalen Richard
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C Ryan Groy; Groy remains on IR
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Micah Kiser
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Riley Reiff
New England Patriots
- Waived: TE Jordan Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB La’Mical Perine; Perine tested positive for the coronavirus
- Placed on IR: OL Josh Andrews
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: KR Jaydon Mickens
- Placed on IR: RB Kenjon Barner
Packers Claim Snacks Harrison Off Waivers
Damon Harrison will jump from one NFC playoff team to another. The Packers made a successful claim for the recently waived defensive tackle, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Snacks expressed a desire to leave Seattle, after the Seahawks made him a healthy scratch Sunday. But he will still factor into the NFC playoff bracket and may well have additional time to acclimate in Green Bay, with the Packers having the inside track on the conference’s bye.
Several teams previously expressed interest in poaching the 350-pound defensive tackle off the Seahawks’ practice squad. The Packers joined the Buccaneers, Dolphins and Ravens in eyeing the veteran run stopper. They will be Harrison’s fifth NFL team. The veteran nose tackle has played with the Jets, Giants, Lions and Seahawks in nine NFL seasons.
Snacks did not sound too interested in being claimed, but it does appear the Packers were a preferred destination (Twitter links). He will be called upon to help the Packers attempt to reach their first Super Bowl in 10 years.
Harrison, 32, played in six Seahawks games, rising to their active roster after a lengthy acclimation stay on their practice squad. In typical Snacks fashion, he performed as a solid run-stuffer with less-than-solid showings on passing plays. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall score of 68.1 — his 81.7 ground grade was weighed down by his 47.9 passing mark.
The former UDFA was a first-team All-Pro with the Giants in 2016. He made the Jets-to-Giants switch that year, but the Giants traded him to Detroit in 2018. He has made 111 starts in his career, though none came this season. Harrison made a career-high nine tackles for loss with the Giants and Lions during the ’18 season.
While the Packers have one of the league’s top interior defenders on their roster in Kenny Clark, they have multiple D-linemen — Montravius Adams and Billy Winn — on IR. The Packers have also experienced issues stopping the run this season. Despite preventing a Derrick Henry snow rampage, they rank 14th against the run. Dalvin Cook and Ronald Jones enjoyed big days against Green Bay earlier this season, but the team stands to have a proven ground-game deterrent in the mix come playoff time.
Jets Place Frank Gore On IR
The Jets will finish their season without their leading rusher. Frank Gore‘s 16th NFL season will end on injured reserve.
While this does not mean much at this point in a 2-13 Jets season, this could certainly be significant for Gore. The NFL’s No. 3 all-time rushing leader — with exactly 16,000 rushing yards — is not signed through the 2021 season and has obviously enjoyed one of the longest careers in the history of the running back position.
Gore sustained a lung contusion in Week 16, which will end a season in which he logged more carries (187) than he has since 2017. The enduring veteran finished with 653 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Jets, his fifth NFL team. Gore signed with New York to back up Le’Veon Bell, but Bell suffered an early-season injury and was cut soon after returning.
This will only be Gore’s third missed game in the past 10 seasons. He has managed to keep finding landing spots at a position when a third contract is out of the question for most. Gore, who now has a son playing college football, has not indicated if he will try to play at age 38 next season. It is also uncertain if a team would give him an opportunity to return, though the Raiders joined the Jets in pursuing him this offseason.
Gore returning in 2021 would give him an outside shot at a previously unthinkable accomplishment. The five-time Pro Bowler passed Barry Sanders on the career rushing list last season and is now 726 yards away from Walter Payton for second overall. Gore has not hit that yardage number since 2017, however.
Colts To Sign Jared Veldheer
The Colts are set to sign tackle Jared Veldheer to the practice squad, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Veldheer will likely be elevated to the varsity squad between now and Sunday to help fill the void for Anthony Castonzo. 
[RELATED: Colts’ Anthony Castonzo Done For Year]
Veldheer, 33, spent some time with the Packers late last year and even started in a playoff game. After that, he retired for the second time in his career. Now, he’s making yet another return with yet another opportunity for postseason action.
With the season on the brink, the Colts are left paper thin at left tackle. Veteran Will Holden, who started against the Steelers, has an ankle injury of his own that will keep him out this weekend. The Colts may turn to Chaz Green, but the right tackle hasn’t performed well on the opposite side. On short notice, Veldheer could see snaps against the Jaguars.
Another option as the Colts shuffle the front five: All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson. Nelson does his best work on the interior, but he’s also played some LT in emergency spots.