Jets Place LB Jordan Jenkins On IR
Dec. 18: Jenkins will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). According to RapSheet, Jenkins actually sustained the injury in Week 3 but has tried to battle through it. That could certainly explain his underwhelming performance this year, but the good news for him is that he is expected to be full healthy by the start of free agency.
Dec. 16: The Jets re-signed Jordan Jenkins in March; the veteran pass rusher’s time with the team may be over. Gang Green moved Jenkins to IR Wednesday. He will miss the rest of the season.
A Mike Maccagnan-era draft choice, Jenkins returned via one-year, $3.75MM deal under new GM Joe Douglas. But Jenkins has not produced much in what is on pace to be the worst season in Jets history.
Jenkins will end this season with just two sacks and six QB hits in 12 games. This comes after the former third-round pick totaled 15 sacks between the 2018 and ’19 seasons. He missed New York’s Week 14 game against Seattle with a shoulder injury and will likely head into free agency on the heels of this early end to his season.
Whether the Jets opt to retain Jenkins again or not, they will enter yet another offseason with glaring needs on the edge. Jenkins and Tarell Basham (two sacks) are the only Jets edge players with more than one sack. The team has an extra first-round pick from the Jamal Adams trade, but Douglas may have to address this position in free agency and the draft.
Bucs Place Donovan Smith On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Buccaneers have placed starting LT Donovan Smith on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per a team announcement. As a result, Smith will miss Tampa’s matchup with the Falcons on Sunday.
The 27-year-old blocker released a statement saying that he had close contact with a family member who recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Per league protocols, Smith must self-quarantine for at least five days.
Smith has never been a world-beater, but even an average blindside protector is a valuable commodity in the NFL, as evidenced by the three-year, $41.25MM contract Smith signed with the Bucs in 2019. He has been entrenched as the Bucs’ starting LT since Tampa selected him in the second round of the 2015 draft, and this Sunday’s contest will be just the second missed game of his career.
2020 has actually been a solid year for him relative to his usual performance, at least if you believe the advanced metrics. Pro Football Focus thinks favorably of both his run-blocking and pass-blocking this season and considers him the 39th-best tackle in the league out of 80 qualified players. Josh Wells will likely get the start in Smith’s absence.
There is some good news to pass along, however. Specialists Bradley Pinion, Ryan Succop, and Zach Triner, who all found themselves on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, have been activated. According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, one of those three players tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week, and the other two were placed on the list as close contacts. However, it appears that the positive test was a false one.
In order to guard against the possibility of losing their primary punter, kicker, and long snapper, the Bucs brought in free agent P Dustin Colquitt, K Brett Maher, and LS Garrison Sanborn for visits, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets. It doesn’t sound like there is a need to sign those players now, but Tampa may be keeping them on speed dial just in case.
Drew Brees Returns To Saints Practice, To Start Week 15
Dec. 18: Brees will get the start in the Saints’ key matchup with the Chiefs this weekend, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The team believes Brees is fully healthy, and the Saints’ doctors have cleared him to play. The Saints activated Brees from IR on Saturday. New Orleans fell out of the NFC’s top seed thanks to its loss to the Eagles last week, and a loss in the marquee battle with Kansas City could scuttle any hopes of a first-round bye.
Dec. 16: As expected, the Saints made the official step of designating Drew Brees to return to practice Wednesday. Although Brees practiced for the first time since suffering a punctured lung and 11 rib fractures Nov. 15, he still has some hurdles to negotiate before returning to action.
The Saints want to see the future Hall of Fame passer display a full range of motion before sending him back into action. His timetable has gone from being a good bet to start against the Chiefs on Sunday to being questionable “at best” for that pivotal interconference matchup.
“He’s got a ways to go still, and he’s someone we’re not gonna just hurry back and just put him in the game,” Sean Payton said, via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett. “I think the significance of the injuries are such that you’ve gotta make sure he can function and feel confident.”
Brees fared well Wednesday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes the soon-to-be 42-year-old passer was not in much pain while practicing for the first time officially in a month (video link). The Saints have three weeks to activate Brees. While the Saints are 8-1 without Brees over the past two seasons, their loss to the Eagles allowed the Packers to move past them in the race for the NFC’s bye.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/17/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers from Vikings: CB Mark Fields
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Hjalte Froholdt
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DB Rashaan Gaulden, LB Javin White
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, DE Jessie Lemonier, S Jaylen Watkins
- Waived: RB Troymaine Pope
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Devonta Freeman; Freeman remains on IR
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: NT Folorunso Fatukasi
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Austin Walter
Washington Football Team
- Placed on IR: S Deshazor Everett
Chiefs Expected To Add WR Tajae Sharpe
Following the Vikings’ decision to waive Tajae Sharpe, the veteran wide receiver is on track to catch on with the Chiefs.
The defending Super Bowl champions are planning to add the former Titans draftee to their practice squad, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Sharpe appeared in four Vikings games this season but did not catch a pass. He went unclaimed on waivers earlier this week.
A 2016 fifth-round pick, Sharpe was a three-year contributor with the Titans. His best statistical work came as a rookie, when he caught 41 passes for 522 yards. After missing the 2018 season because of injury, Sharpe worked his way back into Tennessee’s rotation. He scored four touchdowns in 2019, started six games and played in each of the Titans’ three playoff contests — including their AFC championship game loss to the Chiefs.
With Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson under contract, the Chiefs are certainly not in need at this position. (Though, Watkins’ injury history has frequently made him unavailable during his Kansas City tenure.) But Sharpe will be in position to provide roster insurance, which has obviously become more important in the COVID-19-altered NFL landscape.
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.
COVID-19 Latest: Giants, Bubble, Rosters
The biggest game (to date) of this Giants season will take place without Jason Garrett. The team’s first-year offensive coordinator tested positive for COVID-19, and the Giants announced former Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens will call plays against his old team in Week 15. The Giants converted their Thursday practice into a remote session and have announced no high-risk close contacts of Garrett have emerged. The former Cowboys HC may also miss the Giants’ Week 16 game against the Ravens. Hired as Cleveland’s running backs coach in 2018, Kitchens rose to the position of offensive coordinator that year and made the jump to become the Browns’ head coach in 2019. That ended in a one-and-done scenario, but Kitchens found his way to Joe Judge‘s staff this year.
Here is the latest on the NFL’s coronavirus front:
- In another blow to Big Blue, the team announced James Bradberry will miss Sunday night’s game. The Giants placed their top cornerback, and arguably their top player this season, on the reserve/COVID-19 list. This is not related to Garrett’s positive virus test, according to the team, which revealed Bradberry has not tested positive for the coronavirus. Bradberry came in contact with a COVID-positive person while receiving chiropractic treatment away from the Giants’ facility, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The Giants not having Bradberry will weaken their chances of knocking off a nine-win Browns team. Pro Football Focus rates Bradberry as its No. 6 overall corner.
- Not only will the NFL not follow the other three major American professional sports by using a centralized playoff location, the league will also not mandate teams be sequestered in home-market bubbles for the postseason. Teams may still provide hotel rooms for players who choose such an arrangement, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets, but the league and the NFLPA agreed they will not force players on playoff teams to be away from their families.
- Following the unusual Dez Bryant situation that left the Ravens a man down for their Week 13 game against the Cowboys, the NFL made another adjustment to its pregame roster policy. If a player must leave the field pregame because of a positive COVID test or because he qualifies as a high-risk close contact, teams may activate a replacement, Pelissero tweets. The usual rule of teams submitting their inactives 90 minutes before games left Baltimore down a player against Dallas, after Bryant was forced to leave the field shortly before kickoff. Teams will now be able to make an emergency activation in such instances.
Panthers Place Greg Little On IR
The season is over for Greg Little. On Thursday, the Panthers placed the left tackle on injured reserve with an ankle injury. 
The league’s modified IR rules for 2020 allow players to come back after three games missed, but with only three games to go, that’ll be a wrap on Little’s campaign. This marks yet another disappointing year for the 2019 second-round pick. As a rookie, he was limited to just four games, thanks to knee and ankle injuries plus a pair of concussions. This year, he suited up for ten games, including three starts on the left side, but he’s been out for the last two weeks.
Little came out of Mississippi with plenty of hype, especially for his length and athleticism at 325 pounds. But if the Panthers had a chance at a mulligan, they probably would have gone in a different direction. Little was tapped with the No. 37 overall pick, where they could have snagged wide receivers A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalf.
Little will now focus on his recovery and a 2021 return. He remains under contract through 2022 with reasonable cap hits of $2.08MM and $2.43MM in the next two years.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Kyle Shurmur
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: C Adam Redmond
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Tramaine Brock (story)
- Released: CB Dee Virgin
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on COVID-19 list: DE Tyshun Render
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Chase Harrell
- Placed on IR: WR Shawn Poindexter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OT Andrew Jones, OT Wyatt Miller
Lions Sign Tramaine Brock To Practice Squad
The Lions signed cornerback Tramaine Brock to the practice squad, per a club announcement. To make room, they dropped fellow corner Dee Virgin. 
Brock began the year with the Jaguars, where he stood as one of the few veteran players on the roster. Then, just before he could find out what this newfangled Tik Tok was all about, the grizzled 32-year-old landed on IR. The Jags released Brock in early September, putting him on the open market.
Brock has been off the field for the past few months, but he may get an opportunity to retake the field with fresh legs. That could happen as soon as this weekend, since Darryl Roberts reaggravated his hip injury.
At one point in time, Brock was regarded as one of the league’s better slot corners. He might not be the same player today, but he does offer experience with 117 career games and 56 starts.