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
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/22/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR: CB Jordan Miller
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Zach Kerr
- Placed on IR: OL Dennis Daley
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR DeAndre Carter
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: OL Chris Hubbard
Detroit Lions
- Activated off IR: DE Julian Okwara
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Anthony Hitchens
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated off IR: LB Tanner Muse
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated off IR: DB Nick Scott
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S JuJu Hughes
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford
New York Jets
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Folorunso Fatukasi
- Placed on IR: LB Harvey Langi
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: T Donovan Smith
- Waived/failed-physical: S Justin Evans
49ers To Sign Josh Rosen Off Bucs’ P-Squad
Josh Rosen will return to the NFC West. In need of quarterback help, the 49ers are signing the former Cardinals first-round pick off the Buccaneers’ practice squad, Field Yates and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com report (via Twitter).
This will mean a return to a 53-man roster for Rosen, who has resided on Tampa Bay’s taxi squad throughout his third NFL season. The 2018 No. 10 overall pick will be in line to back up C.J. Beathard, who will replace an injured Nick Mullens in San Francisco’s starting lineup.
Rosen was interested in joining the 49ers earlier this year, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), but instead went to Tampa. At the time, the 49ers were fully staffed at quarterback. But injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Mullens created a need in San Francisco, and the former UCLA passer will return to California.
Beathard is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and Mullens is due for restricted free agency. The latter is facing Tommy John surgery after encountering elbow ligament damage Sunday. No longer attached to his rookie contract, Rosen is signed only through the end of this season. Though, he does not have enough service time to qualify for unrestricted free agency come March. The 49ers could get an extended look at Rosen if they tender him a 2021 contract in March.
Rosen’s NFL career veered well off track early. Landing with a Cardinals team that used two offensive coordinators and numerous offensive linemen in 2018, Rosen became the rare first-round quarterback replaced by another first-round passer the following year. Only the Cardinals and Baltimore Colts of the early 1980s have drafted QBs in consecutive first rounds over the past 40 years, and the Cards shipped Rosen to the Dolphins for a second-round pick after selecting Kyler Murray. Rosen, however, failed to earn much playing time over Ryan Fitzpatrick in Miami. The Dolphins cut Rosen this summer; he has not played in 2020.
For his career, Rosen has a 54.8% completion rate and a 12-19 TD-INT ratio. He has averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt in 20 career games. But the ex-Bruins standout was viewed as a first-round passer ahead of his sophomore season. He ended up being the fourth quarterback chosen in 2018 but has been by far the worst of the five first-round QBs taken in 2018. Although, it can be argued the 23-year-old passer has run into circumstances that made success exceedingly difficult to attain thus far in his career.
Broncos To Waive LB Mark Barron
The Broncos’ late-summer signing of Mark Barron produced only several weeks’ worth of rehab and practice time, and the team will move on from the former starting linebacker.
Denver will waive Barron to clear a roster spot for cornerback Parnell Motley, according to 9News’ Mike Klis (on Twitter). The Broncos are reeling at corner, and Barron did not make an impact with his fourth NFL team.
Although the Broncos activated Barron from IR in late November, he did not play a snap for the team. Barron signed with Denver — on a one-year deal worth $2.5MM — in the offseason, with the franchise hoping he could play a sub-package role to help out Josey Jewell. But the latter has played well this season, alongside Alexander Johnson as a three-down player, leaving Barron on the sidelines.
Hamstring and pectoral injuries felled the former Buccaneers, Rams and Steelers defender this year. Barron, 31, suffered a hamstring injury before the season, leading him to IR. He remained there longer than expected because of a subsequent pec ailment.
Both the Broncos and Steelers ended up cutting Barron in 2020. The Rams made him a cap casualty in 2019. The former first-round pick converted from safety to linebacker and from 2015-18 with the Rams, and the Steelers used him frequently last season.
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.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Chris Miller, CB Picasso Nelson
- Released: DT Daylon Mack
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: P Ryan Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: P Cameron Nizialek
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Casey Tucker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Cyril Grayson
- Released: WR Josh Pearson
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.
Saints Place Jameis Winston On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Saints will have quarterback Drew Brees back in action this afternoon, but they will be without their expected backup. The team announced that it has placed Jameis Winston on the reserve/COVID-19 list, thereby ruling him out for New Orleans’ much-anticipated battle with the Chiefs. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Winston did not test positive for the coronavirus, but he is a close contact of someone who did.
The plan was to have Winston serve as Brees’ QB2 so that Taysom Hill, who went 3-1 as as Brees’ replacement under center over the past four games, could resume his jack-of-all-trades role. However, Winston’s placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list means that Hill will be the backup signal-caller, and the Saints may be more reluctant to deploy him as a runner/receiver as a result.
Just this morning, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote that Winston could have a future with the Saints beyond the 2020 campaign. Though Hill signed an extension in April and is expected to become the team’s starting QB in 2021 — assuming Brees retires — New Orleans has reportedly been impressed with Winston’s work ethic and ability.
The former No. 1 overall pick of the Buccaneers signed a modest one-year, $1MM pact with the Saints this year in an effort to rebuild his value, and there may be opportunities for him elsewhere in the coming offseason. But given Hill’s lack of experience, the Saints might still represent his best chance to win a starting job.
After a wild roller coaster ride in 2019 that saw him lead the league in passing yards (5,109) while throwing for 33 TDs against a stunning 30 interceptions, Winston has attempted just 10 passes this season.
Giants Designate Devonta Freeman For Return
The Giants designated running back Devonta Freeman for return on Friday, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. Freeman landed on injured reserve in November with an ankle injury, and New York now has three weeks to add him to the active roster.
Raanan expects Big Blue to do just that. In his first practice since being put on IR, Freeman was reportedly moving well and appears close to a return.
The former Falcons standout joined the Giants on a one-year deal worth up to $3MM in late September, and though he started four games for the team, he did not do much to disprove the notion that he is just not the same player he was a few years ago in Atlanta, where he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods from 2015-16.
Freeman, 28, averaged a mere 3.2 yards per carry over 54 totes with the Giants this season. He had the chance to seize a prominent role in the wake of Saquon Barkley‘s season-ending injury, but general ineffectiveness and the ankle injury prevented that from happening.
Still, the Giants surprisingly find themselves in the middle of a playoff race, and they can use all the help they can get. In Freeman’s absence, Wayne Gallman has stepped up in a big way, racking up 561 yards and six TDs on 121 carries (good for a 4.6-YPC average). 32-year-old veteran Alfred Morris has also maintained a 4.6-YPC average as Gallman’s complementary back.
New York, 5-8, will try to keep its postseason hopes alive with a win over the Browns tonight. They will again call upon backup QB Colt McCoy, as starter Daniel Jones is battling an ankle sprain of his own and a lingering hamstring injury. The G-Men will also be without top CB James Bradberry, who is on the reserve/COVID-19 list.