HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/1/20

December 1st, 2020 at 7:22pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of the NFL’s latest practice squad moves here:

Cleveland Browns

  • Released: CB Stephen Denmark

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

  • Released: CB Marcus Sayles

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: RB Pete Guerriero

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Football Team

Two More Ravens COVID-19 Positives Emerge

December 1st, 2020 at 6:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens are currently en route to Pittsburgh, but after an earlier report indicated the team did not see additional positive COVID-19 tests emerge Tuesday, it appears the team still has cases spawning.

One Ravens player and one staffer tested positive, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Ravens previously identified these two individuals as “potential positives,” Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

These latest cases notwithstanding, the Ravens’ 2:40pm CT Wednesday game against the Steelers remains a go. All players and staffers will undergo another coronavirus test Wednesday. The Ravens have now had a positive COVID test for 10 straight days. More than 15 players still reside on Baltimore’s reserve/COVID list.

While the Ravens did bring four players off their virus list Tuesday, they left two assistant coaches — offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris and running backs coach Matt Weiss — in Baltimore prior to takeoff. The unnamed staffer who submitted a positive virus test, however, is not believed to be a coach, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). It is not known which Raven player is the franchise’s latest positive test, though Breer notes the player is a backup. Neither the staffer nor the player obviously traveled with the team Tuesday night.

No NFL team placed any players on the reserve/COVID list Tuesday, marking an encouraging and somewhat surprising — considering recent events — development for the league. Wednesday’s game will commence without several key players — including Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews and James Conner — but the NFL has been dead-set against using one of its end-of-season contingency plans and postponed this game three times in order to keep it on the Week 12 docket.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Love

December 1st, 2020 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles did not hire an offensive coordinator this offseason, though former OC Marty Mornhinweg is on Philadelphia’s staff. Doug Pederson may be amendable to adding one in 2021. The Eagles HC said he is open to giving up play-calling responsibilities. However, nothing is imminent on a play-caller change this season, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes. Although the Eagles have seen several of their skill-position players return to action, they used their 10th offensive line configuration to open Monday night’s game. Nothing has worked particularly well for Philly as of late; the Eagles rank 28th in total offense. These issues have upset owner Jeffrey Lurie, whom McManus adds skipped the Eagles’ Week 11 game in Cleveland out of frustration. The Eagles lost their weeks-long NFC East lead Monday night and sit 3-7-1.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • While Mark Columbo‘s dismissal from his post as Giants offensive line coach seemed abrupt, issues between he and Joe Judge escalated for weeks. Judge wanting to use a rotation up front to give younger linemen more experience irked Colombo, who sought continuity, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post notes. The Giants have used guard Shane Lemieux and rookie tackle Matt Peart off the bench this season. Lemieux has since usurped left guard starter Will Hernandez, though the latter still plays in a part-time role. Judge also interrupted one of Colombo’s O-line drills at a recent practice, correcting a Nick Gates technique. Colombo took exception to Judge’s adjustment and told Gates to ignore it, Dunleavy adds. Former Patriots O-line coach Dave DeGuglielmo is now overseeing Big Blue’s O-line.
  • The Giants did not have to worry about their quarterback depth chart, from an injury perspective, for 15 years; Eli Manning never missed a game due to injury. Daniel Jones has run into a hamstring malady, however, and faces at least a one-game absence. The Giants hosted Alex Tanney on a visit and may be planning an atypical arrangement for their former backup. Their tentative blueprint appears to be for Tanney to sign but reside away from the team for precautionary reasons, in light of what transpired in Denver last week, Twitter links via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. Tanney was with the Giants during the 2018-19 seasons and learned Jason Garrett‘s system this offseason before being a preseason cut.
  • This may not be a set-in-stone setup just yet, though. The Giants hosted Joe Webb on a visit Tuesday. Webb, 34, has been in the NFL since 2010, operating as a special-teamer, wide receiver and backup quarterback.
  • Washington will not activate Bryce Love from injured reserve this season, according to ESPN.com’s John Keim (on Twitter). This will mean a second straight full-season absence for Love, a standout running back at Stanford. A Heisman finalist in 2017, Love tore his ACL in his final regular-season game with the Cardinal the following season and underwent multiple knee surgeries. He returned to practice last month but will not be promoted to Washington’s active roster before his 21-day activation window closes.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/1/20

December 1st, 2020 at 4:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Giants Place LB Kyler Fackrell On IR

December 1st, 2020 at 3:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Giants might be without quarterback Daniel Jones for a little bit, and it turns out Jones wasn’t the only significant player to go down during their win over the Bengals. The team has placed linebacker Kyler Fackrell on injured reserve with a calf injury, they announced Tuesday.

That means Fackrell will need to miss at least the next three games as the Giants make their push for the NFC East title. He’s played a big role in New York’s revitalized defense, appearing in all 11 games while starting eight and playing over 76 percent of the defensive snaps. He has three sacks on the year, tied for second-most on the team behind only Leonard Williams. The Utah State product landed a one-year, $4.6MM deal from Big Blue this offseason.

He entered the league as a third-round pick of the Packers in 2016, and was mostly quiet his first couple of years. He came out of nowhere in 2018 to have a breakout season and rack up 10.5 sacks, although he came back down to earth in 2019 with only one.

In addition to his three sacks this year, he also has 31 tackles, a forced fumble, two passes defended, and an interception which he returned for a touchdown. This is a big loss moving forward for a team with little margin for error.

Falcons Sign Laquon Treadwell To 53

December 1st, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A former first-rounder is back on an active roster. Receiver Laquon Treadwell has been activated off the practice squad COVID list and signed to the Falcons’ 53-man roster, the team announced Tuesday.

Fellow receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury in a corresponding roster move. The Vikings drafted Treadwell 23rd overall in 2016, but obviously that pick never panned out. He caught only one pass as a rookie, and never topped 302 yards during his four years in Minnesota. After his rookie deal expired (with his fifth-year option not being picked up), he signed with Atlanta back in March.

He was waived at final cuts, but quickly added back to the practice squad. Now with Zaccheaus headed to IR and Julio Jones nursing a hamstring injury that kept him on the sidelines in Week 12, Treadwell could manage to get some playing time. Still only 25, it’s nice to see the Ole Miss product get another opportunity.

Zaccheaus is a 2019 UDFA from Virginia. He made the 53-man roster as a rookie but played mostly on special teams, catching three passes for 115 yards. This time around he’d been playing a bigger role, and had a couple of huge games in Weeks 4 and 9 when he went off for 86 and 103 yards respectively. The unheralded wideout will be eligible to return in Week 16. If he doesn’t make it back, he’ll finish his sophomore campaign with 20 catches for 274 yards and a touchdown while making two starts.

Eagles Cut S Will Parks

December 1st, 2020 at 1:32pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

In the wake of yet another disappointing defeat last night, the Eagles are making a change on defense. Philly is releasing safety Will Parks, a source told James Palmer of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Parks was in his first year with the team after signing a one-year, $1.6MM deal back in March. He suffered a hamstring injury right before the season started that caused him to miss the first handful of games, but he returned in Week 6 and started the game. His playing time dipped a bit after that, although he still started three games and played in all six he was active. He played only ten defensive snaps against the Seahawks last night, and apparently that was the final straw.

The timing is a bit odd, as it’s not like Parks has been noticeably terrible, and it’s possible there’s something behind the scenes at play here. That being said they’ve apparently wanted him gone for a bit, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets they tried to trade him at the deadline but found no takers.

The Vikings apparently offered Parks more money back in March, as Minnesota beat writer Darren Wolfson tweets. Wolfson also notes they had interest in trading for him at the deadline, so they’ll be a team to watch as Parks now hits waivers. A Philadelphia native, Parks took a discount to return home but it obviously didn’t work out.

A sixth-round pick of the Broncos in 2016, Parks became a real contributor in Denver and started seven games last year. He finished with 35 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, two passes defended, and an interception in 14 games in 2019. The Arizona product is only 26 and will likely get scooped up by somebody before the end of the year.

49ers’ Dee Ford, Weston Richburg, Ronald Blair Not Expected To Play Again This Year

December 1st, 2020 at 12:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The hits just keep on coming for a banged up 49ers team that will now be playing it’s home games in Arizona. Defensive ends Dee Ford and Ronald Blair as well as center Weston Richburg all aren’t expected to play the rest of the season, head coach Kyle Shanahan said during his Tuesday press conference.

Back in late October Shanahan had said Ford wouldn’t return until Week 12 at the earliest, but now the team is shutting him down. Richburg was eligible to return from the PUP list after Week 6, and the last we heard about him was in October as well when it was reported he was likely a few weeks away. Blair also was on the PUP list to start the year, and the team had initially hoped to have him back for the start of the season. Shanahan said both Blair and Richburg suffered serious setbacks during their respective recoveries.

Richburg suffered a torn patellar tendon late last year while Blair went down with an ACL tear in November, and both apparently experienced complications. Richburg was the team’s full-time starter at center in 2018 and 2019, and his absence has left a big hole along the offensive line. Blair has played a rotational role as a pass-rusher since the 49ers drafted him in 2016, and he certainly could’ve been used this season as San Francisco experienced a rash of injuries up front, including an ACL tear for Nick Bosa.

Ford has been a big disappointment and unable to stay on the field since the 49ers traded a second-round pick for him and signed him to a new five-year, $87.5MM deal in March of 2019. He played in only 11 games last season and just one this time around after what has proved to be a disastrous trade.

Ford is signed through the 2023 season at over $15MM annually, but the 49ers can get out of his contract without taking too much of a hit this offseason. The team shopped him this past offseason, but it’s doubtful anyone is looking to take on that contract now. Ford had 13 sacks and led the league in forced fumbles as recently as 2018, but his stock has taken a big hit the past couple years. Hopefully he can get healthy and back to his old self soon. In the meantime, unless he’s willing to take a paycut, he’s likely played his last down with the 49ers.

Browns Place S Ronnie Harrison On IR, Activate Myles Garrett

December 1st, 2020 at 11:14am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have activated defensive end Myles Garrett from the reserve/COVID-19 list. To make room on the roster, they’ve placed safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Garrett was leading the NFL in sacks up until he was placed on the reserve list in November. After missing the last two games, his 9.5 sacks are still good for a second-place tie with Saints DE Trey Hendrickson. Rams star Aaron Donald now leads the pack with ten sacks.

The Browns have managed to stay hot without Garrett, beating the Eagles and Jaguars over the last two weeks. Now, they’ll have him back on the field just in the nick of time for this week’s game against the 8-3 Titans.

Harrison, 23, has been first string for the Browns since Week 5. Unfortunately, he went down on the very first play against the Jaguars — his former team — and his MRI revealed a serious tear. It’s just the latest blow to a Browns secondary that has also lost safety Grant Delpit and cornerback Greedy Williams to injury. Despite it all, the Browns are 8-3 and on track to snap the NFL’s longest playoff drought.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Bears WR Allen Robinson

December 1st, 2020 at 11:02am CST by Zachary Links

It’s safe to say that Allen Robinson isn’t a happy camper. Over the weekend, the Bears wide receiver liked a series of tweets from fans who encouraged him to skip town (Twitter link via Dov Kleiman). He’ll have the opportunity to leave Chicago in the spring when his contract expires, but it’s not a given that the market will meet his expectations. 

Earlier this year, we heard that Robinson saw himself as the top wide receiver in this year’s free agent class. That would mean a deal of at least $20MM per year, putting him in the neighborhood of Michael Thomas and Julio Jones who have much stronger resumes. Thomas’ camp would probably point to Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper — receivers who did not have the same credentials as Thomas or Jones, but still topped $20MM/year.

The Bears weren’t willing to go there when the two sides last spoke, but they also kept Robinson past the early November trade deadline. Since then, they’ve watched their playoff hopes dwindle. The Bears, riding a five-game losing streak, may wind up losing their star receiver for nothing but a compensatory pick.

The Bears’ quarterback situation hasn’t provided Robinson with the ideal platform, but he’s still been fairly productive from an individual standpoint. Last year, Robinson managed a solid 98 grabs for 1,147 yards — his best showing since his 2015 coming out party with the Jaguars. Through eleven games this year, he has a stat line of 71/829/5, bolstered by his latest outing against the Packers. Robinson’s 11.7 yards per catch average over the last two years doesn’t exactly jump off the page, but it’s evident that the talent is there, and Robinson has been largely healthy over that stretch.

But, even with the most favorable view possible, Robinson probably won’t be the kingpin of this WR class. Chris Godwin and Kenny Golladay are also on track to hit the open market — ditto for JuJu Smith-Schuster, who could probably be had for less than Robinson.

Given the strength of the WR class and uncertainty of the 2021 salary cap, it might behoove Robinson to smooth things out with the Bears. Or, at minimum, pretend to smooth out with the Bears, in order to fetch the best possible deal. If Robinson can keep the incumbent Bears involved, he could land somewhere near the $18MM/year mark like Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr. If he can’t, he might be looking at ~$16MM/year offers, similar to Cooper Kupp‘s recent Rams extension.

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