NFL/union agreement: season w/pandemic

Just a reminder: Between the COVID-19 screening process to start camp and the segmented 20+ day conditioning walk up to actual football work, there will be a signifigant "hurry up and wait" element to the first phase of @NFL training camps. https://t.co/xkUabAIV75

— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) July 24, 2020

Ian Rapoport@RapSheet
Source: The NFLPA player reps approve the NFL’s proposal on their conference call. The deal is done. Let’s play football.

Albert Breer@AlbertBreer
NFLPA player reps passed the NFL’s re-start proposal. I’m told it was not unanimous. Of the 32 votes, there were 3 or 4 no’s.

Not enough to take the vote to the great body of players. So it’s done.

Mike Garafolo@MikeGarafolo
Away we go. The only thing that can stop the NFL now is stuff that’s out of the sides’ control. All of the healthy and safety, protocol and money issues are agreed to.

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Yes, it was approved, but only by the executive committee and the 32 player reps. It’ll be interesting to see how the rank and file react to it.

Not sure how it will all play out with players, but I got this text message from an @NFL player agent: “A lot of players are PISSED.” Big issues: No play, no pay. Acclimation period, especially for young guys. Roster size.

Sam Farmer@LATimesfarmer
First four days of NFL camps are COVID testing. Days 5-6: physicals, equipment fittings, virtual meetings. Next eight days strength/conditioning. Will be 14 padded practices, starting Aug. 17 (but Aug. 14 for KC and HOU, playing in opener).

Originally posted by Jack in a different thread, moved by me to here.

JackPMiller wrote:

from 7/24

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Statement from Chiefs’ starting RG @LaurentDTardif, who is the first NFL player to opt out of his contract due to COVID-19: pic.twitter.com/J0i9rC4b7I

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2020

NFL, NFLPA agree to revised CBA: training camp timeline, roster size and more to know
Everything you need to know about the league’s plan to kick off the 2020 season

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-nflpa-agree-to-revised-cba-salary-cap-details-training-camp-timeline-roster-size-and-more-to-know/?fbclid=IwAR39e-rjC5749ogd8tMugkWvJSyH7viOQWiEZzD5HbDPQs60bMpXxCU_nlk

It took time, but the NFL and NFL Players Association have finally hammered out an agreement to return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the NFLPA player representatives approving the deal on Friday afternoon by a 29-3 vote hours after the owners did the same. Just over four months after finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the two sides have approved revisions to the CBA in order to dictate safety measures, training camp schedules and other issues pertaining to the 2020 season.

“We have worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive set of protocols designed to minimize risk for fans, players and club and league personnel,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in an NFL statement. “These plans have been guided by the medical directors of the NFL and the NFLPA and have been reviewed and endorsed by independent medical and public health experts, including the CDC, and many state and local public health officials. The season will undoubtedly present new and additional challenges, but we are committed to playing a safe and complete 2020 season, culminating with the Super Bowl.”

Here’s everything important you need to know about the approved changes. We’ll be updating this space with more details of the agreement as they emerge.

Training camp timeline

This is the most immediate piece of the agreement, seeing that the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs will officially begin camp on Saturday, with the other 30 NFL teams kicking off summer sessions on Tuesday. Put simply, the agreement clears the way for camp to proceed as planned and on time.

Per sources, camp timeline in the NFL's proposal …

Day 1: Testing/virtual meetings.
Days 2-3: Virtual meetings.
Day 4: Testing/virtual meetings.
Days 5-6: Physicals.
Days 7-15: Strength and conditioning (with a day off.)
Day 16: Practice starts.
Day 21: First padded practice.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 24, 2020

A negotiations holdup this week reportedly saw the NFL threaten to send players home and run a virtual camp or even shut down camps altogether, but both sides have since approved plans for teams to begin meetings and initial COVID-19 testing — starting July 28, for most teams — before starting padded practices in mid-August.

As for the actual schedule at camp, players will have an “acclimation period” of 12 days before padded practices, which can begin on Aug. 17. Those 12 days include eight days of strictly strength and conditioning exercises and practice walkthroughs, as well as four days of strictly shells-and-helmets practices.

Preseason schedule

The approved camp schedule includes the elimination of the entire four-week preseason schedule, which had already been impacted by the league’s cancellation of the Hall of Fame Game, originally set for Aug. 6. NFL owners had reportedly previously wanted to retain at least one or two games ahead of the regular-season schedule, but the NFLPA long advocated for complete cancellation given the risks of transmitting COVID-19 in the run-up to September’s opener.

Roster size

In order to help curb the potential spread of COVID-19 in the lead-up to the season, the two sides have agreed to an Aug. 16 deadline for trimming offseason rosters from 90 to 80 players. (Typically, teams have been permitted to carry 90 players through the preseason and up until the 53-man roster cutdown ahead of Week 1.) Teams will, however, be allowed to retain 90 in the event they hold a split-squad setup during camp; some teams, per ESPN, already have plans to divide rosters and use both stadium and practice facilities for camp.

The agreement has also expanded each team’s practice squad for the 2020 regular season to 16 players, four of which can be protected from other teams on a weekly basis. The NFL had already increased the scout team roster from 10 to 12 players as part of the initial new CBA, but adding an additional four per team is expected to give clubs added roster insurance in the event of active-roster members testing positive for COVID-19.

Practice squads increasing from 12 to 16 where teams can put 6 vets (no matter exp) on it for 2020. Will be interesting to see if teams can protect those players or if they're free to move like always

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) July 24, 2020

…

Players were told on NFLPA rep call that, as long as you're on the Week 1 roster and you play at least one game, your contract this year won't toll and you'll still get an accrued season and benefits.

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) July 24, 2020

Opting out for 2020

All players will have the option to sit out the 2020 season because of concerns surrounding the pandemic. Those who are deemed high-risk for the virus will receive a $350,000 stipend for the season, while those who aren’t deemed high-risk will receive a $150,000 stipend. (Qualifying as “high-risk” simply means meeting one of the criteria listed by the CDC for “increased risk” of severe COVID-19, including moderate-to-severe asthma, sickle cell disease and more, with the exception of high body mass index.)

Details on two types of opt-outs, which are irrevocable and due 7 days from NFL-NFLPA deal being finalized:

– High risk: $350,000 stipend with no offset, accrued/credited season

– Voluntary: $150,000 salary advance, no accrued/credited season

Either way, contract tolls.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 24, 2020

While players will only have seven days from the date of the NFL-NFLPA agreement to opt out (and cannot revoke their decision), they will get the chance to opt out later in the season as well under special circumstances:

Players are being told on NFLPA rep call that they can still take a CoVID opt-out later in the season if someone in their family becomes sick, per source.

— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) July 24, 2020

Opting out would mean a player’s contract tolls until 2021. High-risk opt-outs would still be credited with accrued season toward free agency, while voluntary opt-outs would not receive an accrued season credit.

This Injured Reserve is unlimited and allows the desired and necessary roster flexibility. https://t.co/CThiqlMdBF

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2020