NFL injury updates, latest league news from Saturday, Dec. 18

The Carolina Panthers placed defensive tackle Derrick Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Saturday.

The designation means Brown, who is vaccinated, will miss Sunday's road game against the Bills.

Brown is the third player (RB Christian McCaffrey and QB Matt Barkley) Carolina has placed on the COVID list this week.

In other roster news, Carolina activated cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver from injured reserve. Thomas-Oliver was designated to return earlier this week after landing on IR with a toe injury in late November.

The team also promoted running back Reggie Bonnafon and receiver Willie Snead to the active roster. Bonnafon will serve as an emergency backup QB due to his experience playing the position during his freshamn and sophomore years at Louisville.

Injuries/COVID-19

• The Arizona Cardinals placed receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) and cornerback Robert Alford (pec) on injured reserve. Running back Chase Edmonds and safety Charles Washington were activated from IR.
• The Atlanta Falcons placed safety Erik Harris (pec) on injured reserve.
• The Baltimore Ravens placed wide receiver Sammy Watkins and cornerback Chris Westry on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Safety Chuck Clark did not clear COVID protocols.
• The Chicago Bears activated nose tackle Eddie Goldman from the reserve/COVID-19 list. The team announced that in the event of their coordinators not being cleared by Monday night, John DeFilippo will be the offensive coordinator, Mike Pettine will be the defensive coordinator and Brian Ginn will be the special teams coordinator.
• The Cincinnati Bengals downgraded offensive tackle Isaiah Prince (illness) and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III (illness) to out. Cornerback Trae Waynes and guard D'Ante Smith were designated to return from injured reserve.
• The Cleveland Browns activated defensive end Takkarist McKinley from the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed right tackle James Hudson on the list.
• The Dallas Cowboys placed defensive tackles Trysten Hill and Osa Odighizuwa on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Denver Broncos activated safety P.J. Locke from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Detroit Lions added safety Tracy Walker (illness) to the injury report; he is listed as questionable. Walker and cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu and Bobby Price were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. The team activated CB A.J. Parker from IR.
• The Houston Texans downgraded cornerback Jimmy Moreland (illness) from questionable to out. Defensive lineman Jonathan Greenard and offensive lineman Lane Taylor were placed on the reserve/COVID list. DL Jordan Jenkins was activated from the reserve/COVID list.
• Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman was ejected in the third quarter of Saturday night's game versus the Patriots after getting into a fight with Patriots defensive back Kyle Dugger. The Colts downgraded center Ryan Kelly (knee/illness/personal matter) to out. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart (illness) is no longer questionable to play. Linebacker Zaire Franklin was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive tackle Antwaun Woods was placed on IR.
• The Los Angeles Rams activated receiver Odell Beckham, defensive back Donte' Deayon, running back Darrell Henderson, linebacker Justin Hollins, tight end Brycen Hopkins and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Cornerback Robert Rochell and OT Joe Noteboom were placed on the list.
• The Miami Dolphins activated safety Jevon Holland off the reserve/COVID-19 list and offensive lineman Greg Mancz off injured reserve. Holland is questionable for Sunday.
• The Minnesota Vikings listed receiver Adam Thielen, who missed Week 14 with an ankle injury, as questionable. He has not practiced all week. The team waived cornerback Bashaud Breeland; coach Mike Zimmer said earlier in the day that Breeland was uestionable to play due to a non-injury related matter.
• New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (ankle) has been downgraded to out after initially being questionable to return vs. the Colts on Saturday night. Defensive back Kyle Dugger was ejected in the third quarter for getting into a fight with Colts wideout Michael Pittman. Wideout Nelson Agholor(head) left the game after sustaining a big hit in the third quarter and was ruled out after initially being ruled as questionable to return.
• The New Orleans Saints are placing tight end Garrett Griffin (hamstring) on injured reserve, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The Saints are expected to activate TE Adam Trautman (knee) from IR, he added. The team later announced both moves.
• The New York Jets activated running back Michael Carter, tight end Tyler Kroft, offensive lineman Chuma Edoga and defensive Bryce Huff from injured reserve.
• Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiah Buggs (ankle) was downgraded to out for Sunday's game versus the Titans.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed receiver Breshad Perriman on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Tennessee Titans activated edge rusher Bud Dupree from injured reserve, and placed fullback Tory Carter on IR.
• The Washington Football Team activated defensive linemen Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat, Casey Toohill, James Smith-Williams and Khaleke Hudson from the reserve/COVID-19 list. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Saturday that WFT saw no new COVID-19 cases upon activating the string of players. Sweat (jaw) was also designated to return from injured reserve. Receiver Terry McLaurin (concussion) practiced in full after being limited the previous two days. Guard Brandon Scherff (ankle) and linebacker Cole Holcomb (ankle) were limited after being listed as full on Friday. Running back J.D. McKissic cleared concussion protocol but is now dealing with a neck injury; he did not practice for a third straight day.

Roster moves

• The Atlanta Falcons elevated linebacker Dorian Etheridge and safety Shawn Williams as a COVID replacment.
• The Baltimore Ravens elevated safety Tony Jefferson to the active roster.
• The Chicago Bears signed linebacker Ledarius Mack from the practice squad to the active roster and signed quarterback Ryan Willis to the practice squad.
• Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Trae Waynes and guard D'Ante Smith were activated from injured reserve. Linebacker Austin Calitro and Keandre Jones, and receiver Trent Taylor were elevated to the active roster.
• The Cleveland Browns signed linebacker Willie Harvey, activated defensive end Porter Gustin as a COVID replacement and signed cornerback Bryan Mills.
• The Dallas Cowboys elevated defensive tackle Justin Hamilton (COVID-19 replacement), running back JaQuan Hardy and safety Darian Thompson (COVID-19 Replacement) from the practice squad.
• The Denver Broncos waived cornerback Essang Bassey.
• The Detroit Lions elevated Curtis Bolton and Dan Skipper.
• The Green Bay Packers signed safety Shawn Davis from the practice squad to the active roster and elevated defensive linemen Abdullah Anderson and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen.
• The Houston Texans elevated the following players from the practice squad to the active roster as COVID-19 replacements: DB Grayland Arnold, DB T.J. Green, FB Paul Quessenberry, DL Chris Smith, OL Jordan Steckler, LB Connor Strachan and WR Jordan Veasy.
• The Indianapolis Colts elevated defensive tackle Chris Williams to the active roster from the practice squad.
• The Los Angeles Rams signed practice squad center Austin Reiter, defensive back Damarious Randall, DB Delrick Abrams, center Drake Jackson, tackle Adrian Ealy, tight end Kyle Markway, long snapper Carson Tinker and kicker Ryan Santoso.
• The Miami Dolphins elevated receiver Tommylee Lewis to the active roster.
• The New England Patriots elevated offensive James Ferentz, running back Devine Ozigbo and defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale to the active roster.
• The New Orleans Saints signed offensive lineman James Carpenter from the practice squad, and elevated OL Forrest Lamp and receiver Easop Winston.
• The New York Jets elevated defensive end Ronnie Blair, tight end Dan Brown and receiver Vyncint Smith, and released offensive lineman Isaiah Williams.
• The San Francisco 49ers elevated running back Brian Hill and safety Jarrod WIlson.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers elevated running back Kenjon Barner and cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson (COVID replacement) to the active roster.
• The Tennessee Titans elevated receiver Cody Hollister and offensive lineman Daniel Munyer to the active roster. Defensive lineman Kevin Strong was elevated as a COVID-19 replacement.

Fines/Suspensions

• Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and offensive lineman La'el Collins were fined $10,300 each for unneccessary roughness in last week's win over Washington, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Both were involved in a scrum following a hit on Dak Prescott; Collins was ejected after throwing punches.
• The NFL announced it has suspended Miami Dolphins edge rusher Darius Hodge two games for violating the league's policy on performance-enchancing substances.
• The NFL fined Minnesota Vikings defensive back Kris Boyd $4,874 for taunting in last week's win over the Steelers, per Pelissero.
• Washington Football Team tight end Sammis Reyes was fined $3,704 for taunting in last week's loss to the Cowboys, per Pelissero