Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
znModeratorCameron DaSilva@camdasilva
And just like that the Seahawks have an All-Pro safety againRoss Tucker@RossTuckerNFL
Seattle trying to get back to the Super Bowl while Russ still in his prime.I respect it but that’s a haul for the Jets.
znModeratorfrom Facebook
“Professor Maureen Healy is the chair of the history department at Lewis and Clark College. She teaches Modern European History, with a specialization in the history of Germany and Eastern Europe (and the rise of fascism). She was shot in the head by federal agents on Monday night and is recovering from the injury and the concussion, but shared a statement of her experience, and gave permission to share this.
—Statement by Maureen Healy, July 22, 2020
Since June, I have been attending peaceful protests in Portland neighborhoods in support of Black Lives Matter. I have gone with family and friends.
I am a 52-year-old mother. I am a history professor.
I went downtown yesterday to express my opinion as a citizen of the United States, and as a resident of Portland. Of Oregon. This is my home. I was protesting peacefully. So why did federal troops shoot me in the head Monday night?
I was in a large crowd of ordinary folks. Adults, teens, students. Moms and dads. It looked to me like a cross-section of the City. Black Lives Matter voices led the crowd on a peaceful march from the Justice Center past the murals at the Apple store. The marchers were singing songs. We were chanting. We were saying names of Black people that have been killed by police. We observed a moment of silence in front of the George Floyd mural.
I wanted to, and will continue to, exercise my First Amendment right to speak. Federal troops have been sent to my city to extinguish these peaceful protests. I was not damaging federal property. I was in a crowd with at least a thousand other ordinary people. I was standing in a public space.
In addition to being a Portland resident, I am also a historian. My field is Modern European History, with specialization in the history of Germany and Eastern Europe. I teach my students about the rise of fascism in Europe.
By professional training and long years of teaching, I am knowledgeable about the historical slide by which seemingly vibrant democracies succumbed to authoritarian rule. Militarized federal troops are shooting indiscriminately into crowds of ordinary people in our country. We are on that slide.
It dawned on me when I was in the ER, and had a chance to catch my breath (post tear gas): my government did this to me. My own government. I was not shot by a random person in the street. A federal law enforcement officer pulled a trigger that sent an impact munition into my head.
After being hit I was assisted greatly by several volunteer medics. At least one of them was with Rosehip Medic Collective. To take shelter from the teargas I was hustled into a nearby van. Inside they bandaged my head and drove me several blocks away. From there my family took me to the ER. I am grateful for the assistance, skill, and incredibly kind care of these volunteer medics.
We must take this back to Black Lives Matter. Police brutality against Black people is the real subject of these peaceful protests that have been happening in my city and across the country. What happened to me is nothing. It is nothing compared to what happens to Black citizens at the hands of law enforcement, mostly local police, every day. And that is why we have been marching. That is why I will continue to march.”
znModerator2021 NFL Salary Cap
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/the-latest-on-the-potential-nfl-salary-cap-in-2021/
Financing the 2021 salary cap
The method that the NFL will use to finance the salary cap in 2021 is not an unusual concept in the current world. In essence, they will use a similar method to the way in which people get a mortgage to buy a house. However, in this situation, the NFL will be the bank, with the players acting as the party taking out the mortgage.
The system of setting the salary cap is reasonably simple using the previous season’s revenue as a starting point:
Revenue calculations x CBA percentage = Players revenue share
Player revenue share – projected benefits = The amount available for salaries
The amount available for salaries/number of teams = Base salary cap per team
However, with that revenue expected to drop significantly due to either a limited number of fans or a complete absence of fans, as well as a loss of other revenue streams such as International Series games, that calculation is going to lead to the cap problems for teams that we outlined previously. Therefore, in 2021 the NFL will use the salary cap calculation above to merely forecast how much of a shortfall the league and the owners are going to have to account for.What could this mean for the future of the salary cap?
The example used by Pauline in the NFL Draft Insider’s podcast was what we might expect if the 2020 revenue dictated a base salary cap of $175 million in 2021. In that situation, the owners would fund the $25 million shortfall in 2021. In a scenario where the NFL could get “back to normal” in 2021, and the revenue dictated a salary cap of $250 million, then the league can then set the cap at $225 to cover that shortfall.
Where this situation could be problematic is if there are further issues causing a loss of revenue in 2021. In that situation, then the NFL will have tough choices to make entering both 2021 and 2022 regarding how long they are willing to cover the shortfall and wait on the return of their investment.
What does this mean for the teams and players?
The situation for the teams
The good news for the teams is that this prevents the need for immediate panic about the cap. They do not need to consider creating as much cap space in 2020 in an attempt to roll over that space into 2021 to correct against the shortfall. However, teams may still decide to move on from expensive middle-of-the-roster players in 2020 if they have an adequate replacement step up in their limited contact time prior to the season.
The reason teams still need to plan wisely is because they will need to address the issues of inflating player contracts. When teams add big-money players in free agency, they often push money further back into the contract in order to create short-term space in their salary cap. However, it is rare those contracts stay cheap for much more than a year or two, meaning that teams who were active in the last two free agency periods will now be looking at potentially big salary cap hits on their marquee players.
Some examples that Pauline provided from the most recent free agency period are Byron Jones for the Miami Dolphins, Robert Quinn for the Chicago Bears, and Teddy Bridgewater for the Carolina Panthers. While Byron Jones’ contract appeared smartly constructed for Miami in a “normal” situation, they are now left facing his base salary jumping $3 million in 2021. The situation is worse for the Bears and Panthers, with Quinn’s base salary increasing $8.5 million from $3 million to $11 million, and Bridgewater’s base salary increasing $9 million from $8 million to $17 million.
What is the effect on the players?
With contracts rising as outlined above, while the salary cap in 2021 stays static compared to 2020, NFL teams are left facing tough decisions. In order to keep improving their team and prevent the need to cut marquee players, they will need to create cap space. That cap space can only be created by moving on from players, and there is one particular group of players that may bear the brunt.
The effect of the salary cap squeeze in 2021 will be felt hardest by the second and third-tier veteran players in the NFL. Those players are often on middle-of-the-road contracts that are a notch below the marquee players but paid higher than the veteran minimum or the young players that can provide depth. Therefore, with marquee players likely to be protected from being released and not necessarily financially viable to cut players on their rookie deals, the second and third-tier veterans could be cleared out to create the cap space required.
Those players will then have a tough decision to make — ask for a salary they feel they deserve and risk being left on the free-agent market, or sign with a team for close to the veteran minimum. Therefore, we should expect to either see a lot of veterans earning close to the veteran minimum in 2021 or see teams leaning more on players that are on their rookie contracts.
znModeratorI liked Platoon a lot. Didn’t see many of the others.
Wonder if he will do a Trump movie.
I can see the complaints about Stone–he over dramatizes. But his films are always filled with great moments even when I don’t completely like them overall. That was true of “Any Given Sunday.” I liked “Platoon” too.
znModeratorA preview to a big story on how the @RamsNFL are preparing you address Covid-19 protocols. Led by VP of Sports performance and medicine Reggie Scott, what has been done facility wise, safety wise and in prep for testing has been a massive endeavor. Massive. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/q6XoO6g0aA
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) July 24, 2020
znModeratorAlbert Breer@AlbertBreer
I’ve said this a few places: I know of multiple teams that have discussed having QB meetings remotely. In other words, they’d have their QBs in separate rooms for meetings over the computer.Sounds crazy, but … Nothing would be worse than getting your whole QB room wiped out.
Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
And contrary to everyone freaking out last Sunday, both sides had been working on the health and financial components of this plan for months. It was frankly a bit embarrassing listening to national radio folks freak out last weekend.There were people literally talking as if everyone woke up on Sunday and said: “Whoa, training camp starts in a week. We need to come up with a plan!!!”
-
This reply was modified 6 years ago by
zn.
znModeratorNFL, 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 seasonIt 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.
znModeratorNFL, NFLPA agree to revised CBA: Salary cap details
Reportedly one of the biggest final hurdles for the NFL and NFLPA in talks for a revised CBA, the economics of the 2020 season boil down to this: This year’s cap ($198.2M for each team) will remain untouched, but in order to make up for the projected loss of revenue throughout the season, the NFL would spread the financial shortfall over four years beginning in 2021.
As part of the agreement, the 2021 salary cap floor will be set at a minimum of $175 million, up from the initial $165 million, marking a potentially stark drop from the projected 2021 cap of about $210 million. This means that while 2020 rosters figure to remain largely intact, teams could be forced to either cut or renegotiate with veterans carrying high cap numbers beginning in 2021.
One key point for 2020: if games are canceled, players won’t get paid for those games, according to reports, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport reports any unpaid 2020 base salary becomes guaranteed the following year. As long as players are on the roster on Week 1, 2020 will count as an accrued season on their contracts even if games are canceled down the road.
znModeratorThis angle of Jalen Ramsey locking down Julio is elite 🔒 @jalenramsey @RamsNFL
(via @atkelly19)pic.twitter.com/ksZKHG5ujN
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) July 25, 2020
znModeratorFull detail on roster size is here. Teams have two options.
• Option 1: Cut to 80 before vet report date.
• Option 2: Stay at 90, go split-squad until Aug. 16 (at which point all teams have to go to 80.)
Split-squad: Vets in one; rookies, first-year and rehab guys in other. https://t.co/PVSSRgfwfm
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 25, 2020
July 25, 2020 at 11:30 am in reply to: how will the NFL 2020 pandemic season change the cap? #118396znModeratorThe Patrick Mahomes contract looks even more brilliant now. He doesn’t even crack the 30 million mark until 2022, and doesn’t escalate to over 40 million until 2023.
The back loading on that deal saved KC big time if the cap drops by 20+ million next year. https://t.co/RBHtWenvPC
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) July 25, 2020
July 25, 2020 at 9:11 am in reply to: Jets owner/US ambassador Woody Johnson scandal: Donald Sterling situation? #118393znModeratorOpinion: Is embattled New York Jets owner Woody Johnson the NFL's version of Donald Sterling? https://t.co/oZXDh1dghV
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) July 25, 2020
znModeratorOriginally posted by Jack in a different thread, moved by me to here.
from 7/24
—
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
znModeratorRobert Griffin III@RGIII
Per sources, Under the new deal players who live with an at risk family member will have to choose between opting out of the season or deciding to play while living with the at risk family member or play while living away from that family member for the next 6 months possibly.Ben Volin@BenVolin
Source: Covid will be considered a non-football injury if a player tests positive during the initial screening. Will be a football injury if a player gets it afterward.NFI allows teams to recoup some salary if the player isn’t ready by Week 1
Also, if a team believes a player contracted Covid with irresponsible behavior, it can attempt to get it classified as a non-football injury
==
Goodell: Training camps will open on time, NFL will play a full season https://t.co/K34IvmuwMM
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) July 25, 2020
znModeratorHighest team receiving grades, last two years (WR+TE):
1. Rams – 89.9
2. Bucs – 88.0
3. Chiefs – 84.0
4. Saints – 83.9 pic.twitter.com/h8ATgQyJ8v— PFF (@PFF) July 24, 2020
znModeratorIan 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).znModeratorThoughts on the CBA agreement:
1. With 80 players, teams are only bringing players with legit chances to make the roster to camp. Fewer “camp bodies” at camp.
2. Practice squads will be like minor leagues w/16 players
6 vets w/unlimited exp. (AAA)
10 developmental players— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) July 24, 2020
znModeratorJust 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
znModeratorIs this the NFL’s future? These ratings are crazy. https://t.co/RUvCiTmQpD
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 24, 2020
znModerator“He was really the catalyst that made us the greatest show on turf.” 🙏@kurt13warner pays tribute to two of his former teammates turned Hall of Famers 👇 pic.twitter.com/0aZxpehtya
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 24, 2020
znModeratorLindsay Jones@bylindsayhjones
The NFL and the NFLPA exec committee have agreed upon all the major pieces of the return to play plan. | @TheAthleticNFL
It includes:
-Salary cap floor of $175 million in 2021. Cap smoothed through 2023, and benefit reductions through 2023.
-No play, no pay in 2020.Teams have two options for training camp rosters:
1) Cut to 80 before veterans report
2) Cut to 80 by Aug. 16
Practice squads will increase to 16 players; 6 of those players can have unlimited number of accrued seasons.Acclimation period:
-8 days of strength/conditioning/walk thrus
-4 days shells/helmets only
-Maximum of 14 days in pads, starting on Aug. 17.In reference to “no play, no pay” that means if games are canceled players won’t get paid. The NFL-NFLPA leadership have allowed for opt-outs, with a stipend. Players will have to decide within next 10 days.
Also, we have known this is coming all week, but the preseason games are officially canceled.
znModeratorRobert Woods has proven to be Jared Goff's favorite player to target over the past 2 years
Since 2018, Woods' 256 total targets ranks 10th in the NFL #LARams pic.twitter.com/joBFg8EwLI
— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) July 24, 2020
znModeratorPete Prisco@PriscoCBS
Training camp like we’ve never seen it before. Tackling will be awful early in the season. Look for a lot of points.znModeratorif you're unironically interested in this here's a pretty good book on the subject but im begging you to just go for a bike ride instead pic.twitter.com/h5wU1wcEJp
— Listening, Learning, Amplifying… (شادي) (@shariaprelaw) July 24, 2020
znModeratorSince we dont have an International Incident thread, I’ll put this here:
That;s fine. But start one if you want (an II thread). It wouldn’t lack for material.
znModeratorWhich position group will be most impacted by no preseason games? — @Calvin92709090
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
I have to think offensive line here. You hear coaches say all the time that the closer a guy is to the line of scrimmage, the longer it takes to get them in football shape and on track. The Rams have a little bit of an advantage here, in that they are returning basically their entire line, so they won’t have to develop any rookies or young free agents. But the down side is a couple of players are also returning from injury, and therefore it’s been a long, long time since they’ve blocked anybody.What is (new offensive coordinator) Kevin O’Connell’s role/expertise? — @Sad_Lakers_Fan8
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
O’Connell will help with play design, and likely in the play-calling process, of which he has experience from his time in Washington. He’ll also be charged with continuing quarterback Jared Goff’s development.Another area of massive importance that was mentioned to me by someone in the Rams’ front office: If McVay has to be isolated for any reason during the season, it sure helps to have an offensive coordinator with playcalling experience on the staff.
Who is the undrafted player most likely to make the roster? — Frederick C.
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
I believe the Rams are trying to keep a guy like Christian Rozeboom a secret because of his extremely high development potential, and if we were talking about a regular season, I think he would make the final roster.Among the top four edge rushers competing for playing time on the roster, which two do you think are best positioned to grab the starting spots?
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
I would imagine that you’ll see the more veteran players starting on the outside, meaning Ebukam and Floyd, but to be honest with you there is insane potential from Lewis and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Floyd are the starters by mid to late-seasonOf the following three, who do you believe gets an extension first: Jalen Ramsey, Cooper Kupp or John Johnson III? Additionally, which extension do you believe would be easiest to complete? — John R.
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Unfortunately for Johnson, that one is probably last because the safety market continues to devalue — even though an extension for him would also probably be the easiest to manage in current cap constraints. It’s a tough spot for him to be in (I mentioned in a prior piece that he’s the guy who I’ve heard the most hype about from coaches and other players this spring). And I would believe that Kupp happens first because of tenure in the system, he’s their homegrown draft pick, etc. General managers can be funny that way, though I don’t knock the respect shown to a player.Ramsey’s contract will be interesting. They’ll probably want to re-structure Aaron Donald first, so if we catch wind of that, we know Ramsey is probably up next. Yet there are so many concerns about next season’s salary cap, because of the pandemic and inevitable loss the league will take, that I would actually expect any of these later than we initially predicted.
znModeratorznModeratorPedro Moura@pedromoura
Mookie Betts said in 2016 he would never kneel during the national anthem because his father served in the Air Force. He kneeled tonight in protest of racial injustice. He said he knows now that kneeling does not disrespect the military.“I wasn’t educated,” he said. “My fault.”
July 24, 2020 at 11:37 am in reply to: Just a thread for different kindsa interesting things #118342znModeratorTwo brothers, ages 3 and 10, were saved from an apartment fire in France when they dropped more than 30 feet from a window and were caught by neighbors below.
The boys, along with 17 residents of the building, were treated for smoke inhalation. https://t.co/4JS1iIvozl pic.twitter.com/GXq7oNH0cI— ABC News (@ABC) July 24, 2020
znModerator9 Rams who may not survive pre-training camp cuts https://t.co/J26aylcZMt
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) July 24, 2020
—
-
This reply was modified 6 years ago by
-
AuthorPosts
