HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Saints’ COVID Surge

December 24th, 2021 at 9:27pm CST by Ely Allen

Yesterday, the Saints saw 9 players hit the reserve/COVID-19 list including quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian who were expected to handle the duties behind center for the rest of the year with Jameis Winston on IR with a torn ACL. In addition to those two, guard James Carpenter, linebacker Kaden Elliss, defensive back Jeff Heath, defensive end Jalyn Holmes, defensive back Malcolm Jenkins, defensive tackle Christian Ringo, and tackle Jordan Mills all found themselves on the COVID list. Besides the quarterbacks and full-time starter Jenkins, the other six players have a combined 8 starts between them.

With three quarterbacks currently unavailable for Monday Night’s matchup with the Dolphins, the Saints are expected to start the rookie fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame, Ian Book. As we reported earlier this morning, New Orleans also made the move of signing Blake Bortles as a contingency plan behind Book.

Well, despite the addition, the Saints didn’t fair any better today, losing full-time starters Ryan Ramczyk at tackle and Demario Davis at linebacker to the reserve/COVID-19 list, as well as reserves running back Dwayne Washington and safety J.T. Gray.

With the losses, the Saints will continue to operate with a depleted roster, like every other NFL team this year. The Saints’ lineup now lacks the likes of regular starters like Winston, Hill, Jenkins, Ramczyk, Davis, kicker Wil Lutz, tackle Andrus Peat, tight end Adam Trautman, and wide receiver Michael Thomas. Although they look like a shell of the team they could be at full strength, the Saints, along with the rest of the NFL, will continue to work to make the most of a bad situation as they currently sit only two spots outside of the final Wild Card spot with a 7-7 record, losing the tiebreakers to current 7-seed Minnesota and 8-seed Philadelphia.

Washington Football Team Makes Christmas Eve Roster Moves

December 24th, 2021 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

This afternoon the Football Team in our nation’s capital announced a number of roster moves leading up to their Sunday Night matchup in Dallas.

Washington was thankful to add some players back to the active roster from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Backup quarterback Kyle Allen, safety Kamren Curl, undrafted free agent linebacker Milo Eifler, and starting cornerback Kendall Fuller all made their way off the COVID list. They did lose defensive end Nate Orchard to the COVID list, though.

The return of Curl will be welcome as Washington placed starting safety Landon Collins on IR, along with rotational defensive end Daniel Wise. Curl spent most of his rookie season filling in for Collins as the starting safety last year.

Defensive back and core special teams player Deshazor Everett was placed on the reserve/Non-Football Injury list following a car accident that killed the passenger of the vehicle, 29 year-old Olivia S. Peters. It was reported by Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post that Everett was taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The wreck is being investigated and it sounds like the Football Team is awaiting the results of the investigation before taking any further action.

The last move affecting Washington’s active roster was the release of defensive lineman Akeem Spence. Spence signed a week ago amidst the surge of COVID-19 positive tests.

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/24/21

December 24th, 2021 at 6:14pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark, C Trystan Colon
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Nate McCrary
  • Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Chris Streveler

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jordan Fuller, TE Tyler Higbee
  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Cole Williamson

Miami Dolphins

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Gerrid Doaks

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: OL Pier-Olivier Lestage

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/21

December 24th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the league’s practice squad moves from Christmas Eve:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/21

December 24th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the NFL moves from Christmas Eve:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Ravens Expected To Start Tyler Huntley In Week 16

December 24th, 2021 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lamar Jackson is likely to miss another game because of the ankle issue he is battling. Tyler Huntley is expected to start against the Bengals on Sunday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes.

Jackson missing again was the anticipated course of action; the former MVP missed all three Ravens practices this week. Huntley missed Friday’s due to a non-COVID illness but should be ready to make another start. Both Jackson and Huntley are listed as questionable.

Huntley has fared well in relief of Jackson, despite his UDFA status. The ex-Utah Ute had the Packers on the ropes in Week 15, throwing for 215 yards and rushing for 73 in a 31-30 loss. Baltimore, however, lost in Huntley’s relief outing against Cleveland and via a missed two-point conversion against Green Bay. Of course, the Ravens lost their most recent game with Jackson as well. They have lost three straight.

With a win over the Bengals, the Ravens would boast a 67% chance to win the AFC North, per ESPN’s Football Power Index. Illustrating the stakes Sunday, a loss would drop Baltimore to an 8.7% chance of booking a playoff home game. A loss would hurt the Ravens’ chances of merely making the playoffs; they have matchups with the Rams and Steelers remaining.

Browns Activate Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry From COVID-19 List

December 24th, 2021 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Baker Mayfield and Jarvis Landry did not practice this week, but both will be in line to play on Christmas Day. The Browns are activating Mayfield and Landry from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Mayfield tested positive for the coronavirus Dec. 15 but could not navigate the return protocol until Friday. Still, he will be expected to start against the Packers.

The Browns also activated backup Case Keenum, cornerback A.J. Green and defensive lineman Ifeadi Odengibo from the virus list for their Green Bay trip. Cleveland’s loss against Las Vegas, in a game Nick Mullens started with a host of backups at other spots, significantly diminished its playoff chances. The team was without 10 starters against the Raiders.

Some Browns remain on the virus list, including center J.C. Tretter and left tackle Jedrick Wills. Still, the Browns will be in better shape to face the Packers compared to the squad they were forced to deploy Monday.

Mayfield is still dealing with the left shoulder fracture he suffered earlier this season. The former No. 1 overall pick has dealt with other injury issues this season, but the shoulder problem will require surgery in 2022. Some of Mayfield’s numbers are well off his 2020 pace. He has thrown just 13 touchdown passes. While his completion percentage (62.8) is identical to his full-season 2020 mark and yards-per-attempt figure (7.6) up from last year, QBR slots Mayfield 25th. The metric placed the Browns starter 10th in 2020, putting him on track for a potential extension this year. Those talks have since been tabled, with a new deal unlikely until next year at least.

Bears To Start Nick Foles In Week 16

December 24th, 2021 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Foles‘ anonymous 10th season will include at least one start. The Bears will give their usual third-stringer the keys Sunday, with Andy Dalton out and Justin Fields dealing with an injury.

Fields is not certain to miss the game. Matt Nagy, however, said the first-round rookie would be a game-time decision to suit up as the backup. The Bears ruled out Dalton due to injury.

This will be Foles’ first start since Week 10 of last season. Nagy summoned Foles to replace Mitchell Trubisky in Week 3 of last year but then moved Trubisky back into the lineup after Foles began to struggle. Trubisky finished the season as Chicago’s starter, and the team signed Andy Dalton in March. The Bears’ Fields pick in April moved Foles into trade rumors, but nothing materialized. The former Super Bowl MVP has not taken a snap for the Bears this season.

Fields was limited in practice Wednesday but sidelined for the team’s two subsequent workouts this week. After a previous injury, Fields returned to the starting lineup in Week 14 against the Packers. He played throughout Monday’s loss to the Vikings. Nagy has said Fields is his starter when healthy, but the missed practices will lead to Fields either suiting up for an emergency role or not dressing for the team’s game against the Seahawks.

Following his Super Bowl MVP outing, Foles finished the 2018 season as the Eagles’ starter and led them on a late-season rally to the playoffs. He then beat the Bears in the “double doink” wild-card game. The Jaguars gave Foles a starter deal in 2019 but traded him after one season. Foles’ reworked Bears contract runs through next season.

Colts Place Quenton Nelson On Reserve/COVID-19 List

December 24th, 2021 at 1:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts will be without their entire interior offensive line Saturday. After they ruled out Ryan Kelly and Mark Glowinski, the Colts placed Quenton Nelson on their reserve/COVID-19 list.

A three-time All-Pro, Nelson is Indianapolis’ top offensive lineman and arguably the NFL’s premier guard. But, after Glowinski’s positive coronavirus test, Nelson will not be with the team in Arizona, either.

Indianapolis has dealt with availability issues across its O-line this season, but this will be a task for Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor and Co. Nelson did miss three games earlier this year, and he underwent foot surgery during training camp. But the former top-10 pick came back in Week 7 and had not missed any time since. Nelson became a four-time Pro Bowler this week and is on track toward a record-setting guard extension in 2022.

FiveThirtyEight.com pegs the Colts’ playoff chances at 89% going into Week 16, but the 8-6 team’s depth will be tested. The Colts used Chris Reed in place of Nelson earlier this season. Reed will start in Nelson’s place, per Frank Reich, who said Matt Pryor will fill in for Glowinski at right guard.

If Nelson is unvaccinated, he would miss the Colts’ Week 17 game — against the Raiders — as well. Nelson was unvaccinated going into the season, having been a close contact before Week 1.

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Rhule, Saints

December 24th, 2021 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Le’Veon Bell joined the Buccaneers earlier this week. They are his fifth team and fourth in the past 14 months. Following the Ravens’ decision to waive him earlier this season, the 29-year-old running back considered retirement, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes. While Bell has not been much of a factor since his final Steelers season, in 2017, he had not been an in-season free agent for a lengthy stretch until this year. The Ravens cut Bell on Nov. 16. The Bucs, who are in need at running back after Leonard Fournette‘s IR placement, may well give him an opportunity on third downs and as a change-of-pace option behind Ronald Jones. Bell also expressed regret for how public his Steelers franchise tag dispute became in 2018, though the former All-Pro said he does not regret skipping that season. While that move ended up benefiting Bell financially, via the lucrative guarantee he received from the Jets in 2019, his career has never recovered from that decision.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Although the Panthers have drifted out of contention and have gone 10-20 under Matt Rhule, the drumbeat of the ex-college HC staying on for a third season continues. Despite Carolina’s 4-10 record, Rhule is still expected to receive a third season, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required). David Tepper, naturally, is unhappy about being 0-for-4 in winning seasons as owner; this will put more heat on Rhule if/once he comes back in 2022. Rhule returning gibes with what we’ve heard out of Charlotte in recent weeks. Rhule received a monster contract in 2020 — seven years, $62MM — but has not delivered just yet, largely due to decisions at quarterback. The Panthers have bounced from Cam Newton to Teddy Bridgewater to Sam Darnold to P.J. Walker and back to Newton over the past year and change. Rhule said this week Darnold will return to action and play some against the Bucs.
  • Sean Payton returned to Saints headquarters Friday, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com tweets. Payton contracted the coronavirus for a second time and missed New Orleans’ shutout win in Tampa. He will be back for a coaching assignment that will involve game-planning for rookie Ian Book’s first regular-season snaps. Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian are on the Saints’ COVID-19 list.
  • Hill’s second Saints extension will pay between $40MM and $95MM, depending on his role. Hill’s 2022 salary ($10.1MM) is fully guaranteed, with his 2023 base ($9.9MM) becoming guaranteed in March 2022, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, the other components of this contract are more complex. Hill’s 2023-25 salaries can increase by $12MM per year if he throws at least 224 regular-season passes the previous year. That prospect will hinge on how the Saints proceed at quarterback in 2022, when Jameis Winston is a free agent. There are also $18MM in incentives included, Florio adds, with many of those escalators tied to passing statistics. Essentially, this is a two-year, $20MM deal with significant upside for Hill, who will be 32 by Week 1 of next season.
  • The Bucs‘ Week 15 injury avalanche will indeed cost them Mike Evans for at least one game. The Pro Bowl wideout did not practice this week and will miss the Bucs-Panthers matchup Sunday. Evans suffered a hamstring injury against the Saints. The Bucs will also be without Fournette and Lavonte David, whom they placed on IR Thursday, due to injuries suffered last week. Chris Godwin is out for the season with a torn ACL.
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