2020 November - Pro Football Rumors

Seven Raiders Defenders To Come Off Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 21st, 2020 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Raiders practiced without several defenders this week, they are at least on track to have those players in uniform Sunday night against the Chiefs.

After continuing to test negative for COVID-19, seven Raider defenders will come off the team’s coronavirus list Saturday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com tweets. Johnathan Abram, Johnathan Hankins, Arden Key, Maliek Collins, cornerback Isaiah Johnson and defensive lineman Kendal Vickers will be activated Saturday. David Irving is set to come off Las Vegas’ practice squad COVID-19 list, per Gutierrez.

The Raiders placed these seven players on their reserve/COVID list earlier this week, preventing each from practicing. They joined Lamarcus Joyner in that regard; the Raiders activated Joyner on Friday. This octet profiled as close contacts of Clelin Ferrell, who tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week. Abram, Hankins, Key, Collins, Johnson and Vickers will be eligible to play against the Chiefs if their most recent COVID tests come back negative Sunday morning. Irving must be activated off the Raiders’ practice squad to suit up in Week 11.

Unlike Week 7’s Raiders-Buccaneers game — which was moved out of the Sunday-night window after Las Vegas’ first-string offensive line did not practice all week because of Trent Brown‘s positive COVID test — the NFL did not switch this week’s Raiders-Chiefs rematch out of the Sunday-night time slot.

Myles Garrett Tests Positive For COVID-19

November 21st, 2020 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, per a club announcement. Garrett did not practice this week due to an undisclosed illness, and Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the fourth-year pass rusher has indeed tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Browns will be without Garrett for this week’s game against the Eagles, at minimum. The former No. 1 overall pick is now in jeopardy of missing Week 12’s Jaguars game as well.

Garrett currently leads the league with 9.5 sacks and his presence will be missed as they look to advance to 7-3 in a sardine-packed AFC North. The former Texas A&M star joins tackle Jack Conklin, fullback Andy Janovich, kicker Cody Parkey, and tackle Chris Hubbard on the Browns’ reserve list. On the plus side, “zero high-risk contacts have been identified” in connection to Garrett, per the team’s press release.

The Browns gave Garrett a record-breaking extension in July and, so far, he’s done his part to live up to the deal. While he leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks, the rest of the Browns’ D has just 12.5 sacks combined. While he isolates, the Browns will need the rest of the front seven to step things up and keep the pressure on.

Titans Place Jadeveon Clowney On IR

November 21st, 2020 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jadeveon Clowney‘s bid at a long-term free agency deal did not go as expected this offseason, and his latest contract year has not unfolded especially well.

The Titans placed their big-ticket free agent pass rusher on IR Saturday. They had ruled Clowney out of Sunday’s game against the Ravens because of a knee injury, but he will now be out until at least Week 14.

Clowney missed Tennessee’s Week 8 tilt but returned to play in the team’s past two games. The former No. 1 overall pick, who signed a one-year deal worth $13MM in August, remains without a sack. He has not recorded a sack since November 2019, illustrating a Titans pass-rushing plan gone awry. The team cut free agency addition Vic Beasley earlier this month. Beasley joined Clowney in failing to register a sack as a Titan.

Although Clowney dealt with extensive knee trouble with the Texans — highlighted by microfracture surgery — he rebounded to make three Pro Bowls. But over the past two seasons, the well-rounded pass rusher’s stock has dropped thanks in large part to multiple injuries. Clowney considered meniscus surgery earlier this month but opted to return to Tennessee’s lineup. In light of Saturday’s news, it seems that operation has not been fully ruled out.

Clowney underwent surgery ahead of his 2018 season with Houston and missed time because of a core muscle injury with Seattle last year. However, this IR stay will result in Clowney entering Week 14 having missed at least five games. The 27-year-old defender has not been sidelined for that many contests since his 2014 rookie season. This will make Clowney’s pursuit of an elusive long-term deal more difficult.

The Titans promoted linebackers William Compton and Tuzar Skipper, along with cornerback Greg Mabin, and placed corner Kareem Orr on IR.

Bengals Move Joe Mixon To IR

November 21st, 2020 at 1:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Mixon‘s recovery from a foot injury has not gone as expected. And the process hit another snag Saturday.

The Bengals placed their standout running back on IR, sidelining him for at least the next three games. The earliest Mixon can now return is Week 14. He has not played since Week 6.

This has marked by far the longest absence of the former Round 2 pick’s career. He entered the season having missed four combined games in three years. Mixon, however, did well to secure an extension — a four-year, $48MM pact — from the Bengals before encountering an injury-marred fourth season.

While the Bengals have continually delayed Mixon’s return timetable, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) this latest setback does not mean they will shelve their starter until 2021. Mixon is expected to return when first eligible — in three weeks.

Giovani Bernard and Samaje Perine stand to continue to serve as Cincinnati’s primary backfield presences in Mixon’s absence. The Bengals have given Bernard, a 2013 second-round pick, two extensions. The second of which, in 2019, was an agreement to keep serving as Mixon’s backup. Both Mixon and Bernard are averaging 3.6 yards per carry behind an embattled Bengals offensive line. Mixon surpassed 1,100 rushing yards in 2018 and ’19, despite substandard Cincy O-lines.

The Bengals promoted guard Quinton Spain and cornerback Jalen Davis from their practice squad.

Texans DB Michael Thomas Done For Season

November 21st, 2020 at 12:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Texans defensive back Michael Thomas is done for the year. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the veteran has a torn pectoral and will undergo season-ending surgery.

The 30-year-old apparently suffered the injury during last week’s loss to the Browns, but he still managed to finish the contest. The former Pro Bowler is set to hit free agency following the 2020 campaign, and Pelissero notes that Thomas should be “healthy in plenty of time for camp.”

The 2012 undrafted free agent out of Stanford has put together a very solid NFL career. Following a stint with the 49ers to kick off his professional career, Thomas ended up spending five seasons with the Dolphins, starting 25 of his 56 games.

He got a two-year deal from the Giants prior to the 2018 campaign, and he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod that season after compiling 59 tackles, one sack, and two picks. Thomas inked a one-year deal with Houston this past offseason.

Washington Promoting DB Cole Luke, Signing Him To Two-Year Deal

November 21st, 2020 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

The Washington Football Team is making a (relatively) significant commitment to one of their practice squad players. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Washington will promote defensive back Cole Luke from their practice squad and sign him to a two-year deal.

It’s not every day see a team sign one of their practice squad players to a multi-year deal…especially a player who has seen only 14 NFL snaps in four professional seasons. Of course, the organization has presumably seen plenty of progression from Luke behind the scenes, and as Sam Fortier of the Washington Post points out, head coach Ron Rivera previously coached the defensive back when the two were in Carolina.

Luke, a 2017 undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, spent most of the first three seasons of his career on the Panthers practice squad. He finally made his NFL debut in 2019, collecting three tackles in eight games. He joined Washington’s practice squad back in September.

As Fortier observes, Luke could end up seeing time at one of two positions. The coaching staff still hasn’t found a solution at safety, while Jimmy Moreland has occasionally struggled at nickle corner. The 25-year-old Luke has the versatility to fill in at either of those spots.

Patriots Activate RB Sony Michel

November 21st, 2020 at 10:55am CST by Ben Levine

Following a six-game absence, Sony Michel is back with the Patriots. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that New England has activated the running back from injured reserve. The team will waive Hjalte Froholdt to make room on the roster. Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that the Patriots have also waived defensive end Derek Rivers.

Michel started each of New England’s first three games this season, but a quad injury has kept him out of the lineup for the past month-plus. It’s unlikely the 25-year-old will slide back to the top of the Patriots depth chart; former third-rounder Damien Harris has three 100-plus-yard performances since Michel went down, while both Rex Burkhead and James White continue to see work out of the backfield.

The Georgia product has been a bit trick-or-treat since being selected with the 31st-overall pick in the 2018 draft. He had a dynamic playoff run in 2018, rushing for 336 yards and six touchdowns in three games en route to a Super Bowl championship. However, Michel only averaged 3.7 yards per attempt in 2019, and he didn’t play more than 38-percent of his team’s offensive snaps through the first three weeks of the season.

Rivers was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 2017, and he’s already missed a pair of seasons due to injuries. In total, the 26-year-old has seen time in 14 games, compiling six tackles and 2.5 sacks. Froholdt, a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2019, appeared in eight games this season.

Titans To Add QB DeShone Kizer To Practice Squad

November 21st, 2020 at 8:43am CST by Ben Levine

The Titans had an open spot on their practice squad after losing Trevor Siemian to the Saints, so they’ve replaced the quarterback with another. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Tennessee will be adding DeShone Kizer to their practice squad.

As a rookie, Kizer started 15 games for the Browns, throwing 11 touchdowns and running for five scores. While the second-rounder showed some exciting flashes on the field, he was also incapable of leading Cleveland to a win, as he went 0-15 and tossed 22 interceptions.

Kizer hasn’t really been able to get a steady gig since that time. He got into three games as the Packers backup in 2018, and he later lingered with the Raiders for about a year. This year, he’s had workouts with the Titans, Lions, and Bears, and one of those auditions eventually turned into a job (albeit three months later).

The Titans are only rostering a pair of quarterbacks, with Logan Woodside currently serving as the backup to Ryan Tannehill. If one of those two were to get injured, Kizer could see himself back on an NFL active roster.

Saints Sign QB Trevor Siemian

November 21st, 2020 at 8:28am CST by Ben Levine

With Drew Brees going on the injured reserve, the Saints have brought in a veteran option to fill his roster spot. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that New Orleans has signed quarterback Trevor Siemian from the Titans practice squad.

The 28-year-old is joining a backup grouping that includes Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. Despite the starting experience of the former, it’s sound like the Saints will turn to the latter this weekend against the Falcons. Siemian will temporarily serve as extra depth until Brees is eligible to return from IR; the 41-year-old passer is believed to have fractured at least five ribs and punctured a lung, and his placement on injured reserve indicates that he’ll be out until at least Week 14.

Siemian, a 2015 seventh-round pick, started 24 games for the Broncos between 2016 and 2017, going 13-11 while completing 59.3-percent of his passes for 5,689 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. He started a game for the Jets in 2019, but he suffered a season-ending leg injury in that same contest.

He joined the Titans this past offseason, and there was an expectation that he’d be the backup to starter Ryan Tannehill. Instead, he was released by the team prior to the season, and he subsequently landed on Tennessee’s practice squad.

Brandon Mebane Announces Retirement

November 20th, 2020 at 5:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Longtime Seahawks and Chargers defensive tackle Brandon Mebane announced he will retire after 13 seasons.

The former Super Bowl starter called it quits via Facebook (Twitter link via SI.com’s Fernando Ramirez). This comes eight months after the Bolts released Mebane following a four-season stay.

Mebane, 35, enjoyed a lengthy career, coming into the league as a Seahawks third-round pick in 2007 and remaining a starter for almost all of the next 13 seasons. Mebane started 176 games in his career, with his most memorable stretch coming during the Seahawks’ 2010s ascent.

Drafted during Seattle’s Tim Ruskell–Mike Holmgren regime, Mebane became an instant starter. He remained in that role through the 2015 season. During that time, the Seahawks made five postseason trips and won Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks became the first team in the post-merger era to rank first in scoring defense in four straight seasons, doing so from 2012-15. Mebane graded as one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen during Seattle’s 2013 Super Bowl-winning season, in the view of Pro Football Focus.

Mebane did not play in Super Bowl XLIX, with a hamstring tear sidelining him midway through the 2014 season, but landed a three-year, $13.5MM deal with the Chargers in 2016. He ended up agreeing to two Bolts deals, the second one in 2019, and working as a starter for four seasons. While Mebane largely functioned as a run-stopping interior defender, he recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits in 2008. He notched a career-high 56 tackles for the 2012 Seahawks.