2020 December - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Claim S Will Parks, Place CB Bryce Callahan On IR

December 2nd, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ahead of their most difficult assignment annually, the Broncos will be down their best-performing cornerback. The Broncos will travel to Kansas City and face at least their next three opponents without Bryce Callahan.

They are placing Callahan on IR, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic tweets. But the team will reunite with Will Parks. The four-year Bronco contributor will return to Denver via waiver claim, per KOA’s Benjamin Allbright (on Twitter). The Eagles waived Parks this week.

Callahan has run into more foot trouble. The standout defender injured the same foot that kept him out of action all last season, and Vic Fangio said a multi-week absence was on tap. Callahan exited Week 12 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 overall cornerback, belatedly justifying the Broncos’ three-year, $21MM investment. He initially injured the foot in December 2018 while playing for Fangio in Chicago.

This is certainly cause for concern for the sixth-year cover man. And it deals a Broncos defense that has been without Von Miller and its entire D-line a major blow going into the team’s biannual Chiefs contest. The Broncos have not beaten the Chiefs since 2015.

Parks opted to play for his hometown Eagles this offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal. The Broncos originally drafted him in the 2016 seventh round, four rounds after their Justin Simmons pick. Given Parks’ familiarity with Fangio’s system, the Broncos should be able to plug him into myriad roles on defense. Parks previously served as a utility man of sorts in Denver, operating as a backup safety, in the slot and as a coverage linebacker in sub-packages. Due to COVID-19 protocols, Parks will not be eligible to play with the Broncos again until Week 14.

Raiders To Place Maliek Collins On IR

December 2nd, 2020 at 3:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Maliek Collins has started throughout his first Raiders season but will see an injury pause his initial post-Cowboys campaign.

The Raiders are placing the first-string defensive tackle on IR Wednesday, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter). Collins has started in the 10 games in which he’s played this year but must miss at least the next three. Collins was listed on the Raiders’ injury report with ankle and hamstring issues, but Jon Gruden said the D-lineman has a shoulder injury as well (Twitter link via Tafur).

While the Raiders gave Collins a one-year deal worth $6MM, he has struggled. Pro Football Focus currently has the fifth-year veteran slotted as the league’s worst full-time interior defender. Collins has yet to record a sack and has just one quarterback hit this season.

Working under current Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli in Dallas, Collins recorded multiple sacks in each of his first four seasons. He also notched at least eight QB hits in each of his Cowboy campaigns, creating a mid-level market for himself this offseason.

Jaguars To Keep Mike Glennon As Starter

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Gardner Minshew beating out Mike Glennon for the Jaguars’ starting quarterback job this summer, Doug Marrone has changed his tune — for Week 13, at least.

Marrone said Wednesday that Minshew has recovered from the thumb injury that shook up Jacksonville’s quarterback situation in the first place. But Glennon — the third Jags QB to start this season — will remain the team’s starter, Marrone said (via the Florida Times-Union’s Gene Frenette, on Twitter).

Although this is a promotion for Glennon, Marrone cautioned the Jaguars’ quarterback depth chart may fluctuate further down the stretch, per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter). A benching like this, however, is a bad sign for Minshew’s future as Jacksonville’s quarterback. That said, the team was long believed to be in the mix for a passer in the 2021 first round. The Jags are in second in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes, having lost 10 straight. Minshew profiled as a stopgap, even though the Jaguars passed on several notable veterans this offseason to keep him as their starter.

A 2013 third-round pick who has bounced around since his 2017 Bears agreement, Glennon started for the first time since 2017 last week. He threw for 235 yards, two touchdowns — with no interceptions — and had the team a failed two-point conversion away from forging a tie with the Browns late in Sunday’s game.

The Jaguars signed Glennon in May, cut him four months later but brought him back on the practice squad ahead of Week 1. The former Buccaneer, Bear, Cardinal and Raider followed rookie Jake Luton in the progression of Jaguar QB1s this season.

Ravens Promote 10 From Practice Squad

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ravens warmups featured Robert Griffin III taking snaps from Trystan Colon-Castillo, who will play his first NFL game. But Baltimore promoted a host of reinforcements that will provide depth at other positions.

The Ravens elevated 10 players from their practice squad ahead of Tuesday’s game, filling out a roster decimated by the coronavirus and the NFL’s virus protocols.

Using the COVID-19 replacement designation, the Ravens elevated linebacker Aaron Adeoye, defensive tackle Aaron Crawford, tight end Sean Culkin, quarterback Tyler Huntley, long snapper Nick Moore, offensive lineman R.J. Prince, defensive end Chauncey Rivers, tight end Eric Tomlinson, running back Ty’son Williams and tight end Luke Willson. They also added safety Geno Stone to the reserve/COVID-19 list.

This extensive batch of pregame moves will supply the Ravens with a third-string quarterback and running back depth. Lamar Jackson is one of 17 players still on Baltimore’s reserve/COVID list, forcing today’s visiting team to promote nearly its entire practice squad. The team activated Trace McSorley from the virus list Tuesday, and Huntley — a rookie UDFA — will play behind he and RG3. Williams will slide in behind Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, with Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins ruled out.

But the Ravens’ point-of-care coronavirus tests came back negative Wednesday. After three postponements and 10 straight days of Ravens positive tests, the NFL’s first Wednesday game in eight years (and second in the past 60 seasons) is a go.

Bengals’ Auden Tate Done For Year

December 2nd, 2020 at 12:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The season is over for Auden Tate. The Bengals wide receiver will be placed on injured reserve following shoulder surgery, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

Tate, 23, was fighting for targets in a group that also includes Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and A.J. Green. He made the most of his opportunities in Week 9, catching all seven of his looks for 65 yards, helping the Bengals to top the Titans. In total, he’ll finish the year with a stat line of 14/150 and zero TDs. That’s not quite the follow-up he wanted after notching 40 catches for 575 yards and a touchdown in 2019.

The banged-up Bengals are down to 2-8-1 after falling to the Giants this past week. They’ll have some decent opportunities to win with a final stretch that includes the Cowboys and Texans, but that would also knock them down the draft board. If the season ended today, the Bengals would own the No. 3 overall pick, behind only the Jets and Jaguars.

Lions Place Desmond Trufant, Danny Shelton On IR

December 2nd, 2020 at 10:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have placed cornerback Desmond Trufant and defensive tackle Danny Shelton on injured reserve, per a club announcement. With the season winding down and the Lions out of the playoff picture, this could mark the end of their seasons.

The Lions picked up Trufant in March after he was released midway through his five-year, ~$69MM mega-deal with the Falcons. So far, he’s played in just six games under his more reasonable two-year, $21MM deal, which includes $14MM in guarantees. Last year, Trufant compiled four interceptions and seven passes defended despite being limited to only nine games. In 2020, he’s got one interception, four passes defended, and 20 total stops.

Shelton — who entered the league as the No. 12 pick in the 2015 draft — never lived up to his draft status, but he’s built a solid career as a run-stuffer. The 345-pound lineman played a key role with the Pats last year and found a home as the Lions starter this year. Unfortunately, after eleven starts, his season could be done thanks to a knee injury suffered against the Texans.

Down two defensive starters, the Lions will travel to Chicago this weekend to face the Bears.

Chargers’ Tyrod Taylor Won’t File Grievance

December 2nd, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor has declined to file a grievance against the team or the team doctor who accidentally punctured his lung earlier this season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The mishap sidelined Taylor in Week 2, opening the door for Justin Herbert to take over as the starting quarterback.

At the time, head coach Anthony Lynn insisted that Taylor would get his job back once he was medically cleared. Then, when Herbert impressed, he stuck with the rookie and left Taylor on the bench. It’s especially unfortunate for Taylor since he will be eligible for free agency in the spring. But, fortunately, Taylor’s decision seems to indicate that he won’t have lasting damage as a result of the puncture. If he was at risk for a long-term problem, he would have had a good chance of winning a grievance against the other parties, because it would have impacted his future health and earnings.

The NFLPA will continue to look into the matter, according to Rapoport. And, to avoid similar situations for other players, the union is looking into changing protocols for how and when players can receive painkilling injections, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

The Chargers, with Herbert under center, will face the Patriots on Sunday afternoon.

Latest On Ravens’ COVID-19 Situation

December 2nd, 2020 at 10:08am CST by Zachary Links

Despite being eligible to come off of the COVID-19 reserve list, Ravens running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins will not play today against the Steelers, according to NBC’s Michelle Tafoya (Twitter link via Andrew Perloff of The Dan Patrick Show). The Ravens will be well-set with Gus Edwards in the backfield, but they’ll still be severely shorthanded for their afternoon tilt.

At least 12 Ravens players have tested positive for the coronavirus, including star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Safety Geno Stone was among the latest to test positive for COVID-19 — a troubling development since he was not previously categorized as a “high-risk close contact.”

As Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun notes, the Ravens will be conducting point-of-care tests prior to kickoff in order to screen any possible new cases. And, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (on Twitter), the NFLPA will be keeping a watchful eye on those results. The union is not opposed to the game being played today, but they may push back against the league if the spread continues.

Colts P Rigoberto Sanchez Undergoes Cancer Surgery

December 1st, 2020 at 8:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rigoberto Sanchez punted in the Colts’ Week 12 game against the Titans, doing so despite receiving a cancer diagnosis. Informed late last week he had developed a cancerous tumor, Sanchez opted to play in Sunday’s home game.

Following the game, Sanchez addressed his more pressing issue by undergoing surgery. The fourth-year Indianapolis punter announced Tuesday the operation was successful (Twitter link).

“So grateful to be surrounded by doctors that helped me catch the cancerous tumor before it spread all over my body,” Sanchez said (via Instagram). “Unfortunately, there are things you can’t control in life and this is one of them. No plans or preparation would have gotten me ready for this kind of adversity, but like I told my wife, we can’t flinch. Keep striving to come back stronger than ever.

“Makes me sick that I’ll have to miss some time playing beside my brothers, but I know they will hold it down.”

Sanchez, 26, did not reveal the nature of the cancer. Despite the Colts losing Sunday, Sanchez averaged 50.8 yards per punt on five boots. He also attempted an onside kick. Sanchez has been Indianapolis’ punter since the start of the 2017 season, arriving as a UDFA to take over for the retired Pat McAfee and kicking in every game since. The Colts gave Sanchez an extension in 2019; he is signed through the 2023 season.

This Date In Transactions History: Vikings Waive Donovan McNabb

December 1st, 2020 at 7:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kirk Cousins has been the first quarterback to open three straight seasons as the Vikings’ starter since Daunte Culpepper. In between, the franchise took several notable swings to fill the position. One of those came nine years ago, when Donovan McNabb made his third and final NFL stop.

The Vikings acquired McNabb from Washington in July 2011 — after the lockout’s conclusion led to the 2011 league year beginning just before training camp — by trading a sixth-round pick for the then-34-year-old passer. (That pick turned into Alfred Morris in 2012.) But after six starts, Minnesota benched the former Pro Bowler.

On Dec. 1, 2011, the Vikings waived McNabb in what then-HC Leslie Frazier described as a mutual decision that would free up McNabb to catch on elsewhere. That did not end up happening, and the ’11 season in the Twin Cities became McNabb’s 13th and final NFL campaign.

Culpepper’s severe knee injury in 2005 led the Vikings to a run of passers. They pivoted back to Brad Johnson following Culpepper’s career-altering setback and used a 2006 second-round pick on Tarvaris Jackson, who served as the team’s primary starter from 2007-08. Brett Favre notably replaced Jackson, but his retirement following the 2010 season left the Vikings again in need at quarterback.

The Eagles had completed the rare intra-division QB trade, ending McNabb’s Philadelphia tenure at 11 seasons by sending him to Washington in 2010 — months after he led the Eagles to a playoff berth and earned his sixth Pro Bowl nod. McNabb, however, did not replicate that form in Washington, finishing the ’10 season with a 14-15 TD-INT ratio.

In Minnesota, the former No. 2 overall pick produced a better QBR figure (55.3) than he did in Washington (48.2). But he threw just four touchdown passes in six starts and went 1-5 as the Vikes’ first-stringer. Frazier, who was with the Eagles when they drafted McNabb in 1999, benched the veteran for first-round pick Christian Ponder that October. The Eagles’ all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, McNabb went unclaimed on waivers and ended up officially retiring as an Eagle in 2013. But his final game action occurred with the Vikings.

The Vikings have not needed quarterback stability to venture to the playoffs. Since Culpepper’s injury, each of the franchise’s six postseason berths came with a different QB1. Minnesota is keen on Cousins ending this unusual run, having signed him to a two-year, $66MM extension in March.