Coronavirus Safety Protocol - please read and discuss

[Futureshock]

Report: Marcus Cannon has decided to opt out of 2020 season

Posted by Charean Williams on July 28, 2020, 12:15 AM EDT

Getty Images

A report earlier Monday indicated Marcus Cannon was weighing whether to play in 2020. The Patriots starting right tackle apparently now has made his decision.

Cannon will exercise his option for a leave of absence, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald reports late Monday night.

The Patriots already have had offensive guard Najee Toran and fullback Danny Vitale take voluntary opt outs. Cannon’s opt out presumably will be considered “high-risk,” which comes with a $350,000 stipend with no offset and an accrued/credited season. His contract, which was scheduled to pay him $4.7 million this season, would toll.

Cannon, 32, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma after his physical at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2011 showed irregularities. Further testing led to his diagnosis, and he began treatment that summer after the Patriots drafted him.

His absence will be a big blow to the team’s offensive line.

Korey Cunningham, Yodny Cajuste and Justin Herron are options to replace Cannon. Cunningham has appeared in seven games, while Cajuste and Herron have no regular-season experience.

Starting left guard Joe Thuney, who will play 2020 under the franchise tag, has experience at tackle from his college days.

[Futureshock]

Report: Patriots guard Najee Toran opts out of 2020 season

Posted by Charean Williams on July 27, 2020, 7:51 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Patriots have had a second player opt out of the 2020 season.

Offensive guard Najee Toran has joined teammate Danny Vitale in taking the leave of absence option, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe reports.

Cowboys cornerback Maurice Canady, Seahawks offensive lineman Chance Warmack, Ravens returner De'Anthony Thomas and Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif also have taken the voluntary opt out. Washington defensive lineman Caleb Brantley has become the first NFL player to take the “high-risk” opt out.

High-risk opt outs receive a $350,000 stipend with no offset and an accrued/credited season. Voluntary opt outs receive a $150,000 stipend as a salary advance on their contract for 2021 and no accrued season.

The contract tolls in either option.

Toran, 24, was projected to compete for a backup role along the Patriots’ interior offensive line this summer.

He was on the Patriots’ practice squad in 2019 after spending 2018 in the 49ers’ organization.

The Patriots re-signed rookie free agent slot receiver Will Hastings, who they released Sunday, McBride reports. Hastings played with quarterback Jarrett Stidham at Auburn.

[Futureshock]

OPT OUTS


MAURICE CANADYDB, DALLAS COWBOYS

Cowboys CB Maurice Canady will opt-out of the 2020 season.


Canady played for the Jets and Ravens last season, starting three of the 13 games he suited up for. The Cowboys' cornerback group remains full of questions after Byron Jones' departure in free agency.

SOURCE: Mike Garafolo on Twitter
Jul 27, 2020, 11:35 PM

CALEB BRANTLEYDL, WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM

Washington DL Caleb Brantley is the first reported "high risk" opt-out player for the 2020 season.


Brantley will receive a $350,000 stipend with no offset language and a credited season. Brantley, a former sixth-round pick by the Browns, played in one game last season for Washington and re-signed for the team back in March.

SOURCE: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Jul 27, 2020, 6:17 PM


CHANCE WARMACKG, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Seahawks G Chance Warmack has taken the voluntary opt-out for the 2020 season.


Warmack signed in late March on a one-year contract after sitting out the 2019 season in order to replenish his health. The veteran guard lost a family member to COVID-19. The Seahawks likely won't look for a replacement after selecting G Damien Lewis in the third-round.

SOURCE: Mike Garafolo on Twitter
Jul 27, 2020, 4:16 PM



DE'ANTHONY THOMASWR, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Ravens WR/KR De'Anthony Thomas has voluntarily opted-out of the 2020 season.


Thomas split time between the Chiefs and Ravens last season, playing six games in Kansas City before suiting up for eight games in Baltimore. He returned 13 punts and 10 kicks for the Ravens, who re-signed him on a one-year contract back in March. The voluntary opt-out includes a stipend of $150,000.

SOURCE: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Jul 27, 2020, 4:04 PM

[Futureshock]

Jason Vander Laan opts out of 2020 season

Posted by Charean Williams on July 28, 2020, 8:05 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Saints lost another backup tight end to a leave of absence.

Jason Vander Laan has opted out of the 2020 season, according to the NFL’s transactions report. Fellow tight end Cole Wick‘s decision to opt out was reported earlier Tuesday.

Their departures leave the Saints with only four tight ends — Jared Cook, Josh Hill, Adam Trautman and Garrett Griffin.

Vander Laan signed to the Saints’ practice squad Oct. 23 as an insurance policy while Jared Cook was out with an ankle injury. He earned a promotion to the 53-player roster Nov. 25.

Vander Laan played two games with one start, returning one kickoff for 8 yards. He played 21 offensive snaps and 21 on special teams before going on injured reserve with a head injury.

He also has spent time with the Jets, Colts, Panthers and Patriots.

[Futureshock]

Lol Forget it buddy...



NCAA president remains “very concerned” about fall sports

Posted by Mike Florio on July 28, 2020, 8:03 PM EDT

Getty Images

With serious issues involving Major League Baseball and real questions about the NFL, it’s becoming harder to envision college football successfully playing games while keeping players and coaches from spreading the virus. As a result, NCAA president Mark Emmert continues to have reservations regarding collegiate sports in the fall, including football.

Via Heather Dinnich of ESPN.com, Emmert said Tuesday that he remains “very concerned” about fall sports, and that he believes a shortened schedule and a delayed start could “make sense.”

A delay gives the schools more time to study pro sports, and to monitor the spread of the virus at the various schools.

“We do get to see what happens when people return to campus,” Emmert said. “You get to learn a lot from what’s going on with professional sports. We get to see how the testing protocols emerge and how that can be more effective, especially if we can get antigen testing going, for keeping track of the virus on campuses. The fact a delay could provide us with time to do all that could be very, very useful.”

Emmert also said that fewer games would allow for more breaks between games, if quarantines of specific teams become necessary. Scrapping college football season and other fall sports remains possible.

“We need to clearly see the indicators of viral spread be moving in a much better direction than they are right now,” Emmert said regarding whether any games can be played. “We continue to see in various areas spikes both in terms of viral spread, in terms of the percent of tests that are coming back positive, and hospitalizations and tragically even deaths. In those areas where we know we have a lot of competition, a lot of sports going on, we need to see movement in the right direction and right now, it’s starting to plateau in some areas, but it’s not headed in the right direction.”

It needs to head in the right direction soo, or it will be very hard to have college football.

In the end, however, it’s not the NCAA’s decision. Despite a lengthy list of rules that apply to college sports, the NCAA does not act as a global authority on whether games are played.

“Would it be great to have the czar of football stand up and say, ‘We’re going to play!’ or ‘We’re not going to play!’ — of course that’s great, but that’s just unrealistic and it surely doesn’t fit college sports,” Emmert said. “These are college students, and they’re at 1,100 different colleges. This isn’t the NBA bubble. There’s no bubble in college sports. That’s just not how we can or should operate. ”

It remains to be seen how many programs will be able to operate in 2020, and whether those programs will be able to limit the spread of the virus within the football team and beyond.

[Futureshock]

Devin Funchess on opting out: “Family is first”

Posted by Mike Florio on July 28, 2020, 6:59 PM EDT

Getty Images

Packers receiver Devin Funchess won’t play in 2020. He explained his decision in a Tuesday social-media post.

“Family is first,” Funchess said. “Always has been. Always will be. In such unpredictable times, it’s been one of the constants on my mind as I’ve worked through one of the toughest decisions of my life.

“My closest family members have experienced the life-threatening impact of COVID-19 first hand and for their own and my safety, I’ve decided to opt out of the upcoming NFL season. This was not a decision I took likely but it’s what is best for my family and myself at this time.

“I can’t thank the Packers organization enough for their understanding and for giving me the opportunity to be part of one of the most storied franchises in the league. I look forward to getting back to work with them next season.”

Funchess, a second-round pick of the Panthers in 2015, received a $1 million signing bonus on a one-year deal. His contract will toll to 2021, at a salary of $1.2 million.

As players make the excruciating choice to not play, their decisions should be respected. They’re giving up the ability to play and to get paid, and they’re assume the risk that, by the time they return next year, the organization may decide to stick with their replacements.

[Futureshock]

Opt out deadline will be August 4, at the earliest

Posted by Mike Florio on July 28, 2020, 6:37 PM EDT

Getty Images

At least 25 players have opted out of the 2020 season. All other players have at least another week to make a final decision.

Per multiple sources, the deadline for opting out arrives seven days after the signing for the formal side agreement documenting changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The side letter has to yet been signed. Thus, the deadline for opting out will come no earlier than Tuesday, August 4.

Even though the side agreement has not been signed, players may opt out under the terms of the draft agreement negotiated on Friday by the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Once communicated to the term, the decision becomes binding and irrevocable; the player cannot play in 2020, for any team.

[Futureshock]

Panthers undrafted rookie Jordan Mack opts out of 2020 season

Posted by Charean Williams on July 28, 2020, 5:16 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Panthers announced several moves Tuesday, including undrafted rookie linebacker Jordan Mack‘s decision to opt out of the 2020 season.

Mack is the team’s first player to take the leave of absence.

Offensive lineman Greg Little will start camp on the physically unable to perform list with a knee issue. The PUP list indicates a player has not yet passed his physical, but Little’s absence is not expected to be long-term, Myles Simmons of the team website reports.

The 2019 second-round pick played only four games while dealing with two concussions and an ankle injury.

The Panthers placed punter Michael Palardy on the non-football injury list, ending his season. Palardy tore his ACL this offseason.

Carolina last week signed undrafted rookie Joseph Charlton to handle punting duties.

Undrafted rookie offensive lineman Branden Bowen will begin camp on the non-football illness list.

Carolina waived offensive lineman Juwann Bushell-Beatty. He played for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks and Houston Renegades before the league’s season was canceled in March.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________


Smart. Keeps him from being cut and he may even get more money.

[Futureshock]

Larry Warford decides not to play in 2020

Posted by Darin Gantt on July 28, 2020, 4:39 PM EDT

Getty Images

It’s hard to call what Larry Warford‘s doing opting out, since he doesn’t have a contract to opt out of.

Either way, he’s not playing this year.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the three-time Pro Bowl guard isn’t playing this year, despite multiple offers. He’s planning to continue to train in hopes of playing next year.

The 29-year-old guard was looking for work earlier this offseason, but not just any work. After he was released by the Saints, he was reportedly looking for a salary in the $7 million a year range.

Players who opt out of contracts can’t change their minds about it, but since he’s a free agent, he could ostensibly revisit his decision.

[Futureshock]

NFLPA: 21 players have tested positive for COVID-19 at camps

Posted by Josh Alper on July 28, 2020, 3:37 PM EDT

AP

Players reporting to training camp are being tested for COVID-19 several times before they are allowed to enter team facilities and Tuesday brought some information about how many of those tests have been positive thus far.

The NFLPA announced that there have been 21 positive tests in the testing conducted as part of the training camp reporting process. Rookies, injured players and quarterbacks were allowed to start reporting over the last week. Veterans from most teams began reporting to camp on Tuesday.

The union did not announce the total number of tests were done overall or whether there were any outstanding results from early tests. They did announce that a total of 107 players have tested positive over the course of the offseason.

Players who test positive for COVID-19 will be placed on a reserve list until they are no longer experiencing symptoms and/or receive multiple negative tests. Players exposed to an infected person will also go on that list and the league will not announce the reason for any player’s placement on the list.

[Futureshock]

LEO KOLOAMATANGIT, NEW YORK JETS
Jets OT Leo Koloamatangi has opted out of the 2020 NFL season.


Koloamatangi is the first Jets player to opt out. Players who opt out for non-medical reasons receive a $150,000 stipend.

SOURCE: Ian Rapaport on Twitter
Jul 28, 2020, 2:10 PM

[Futureshock]

MARQUISE GOODWINWR, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Eagles WR Marquise Goodwin has opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.


Goodwin has a five-month-old daughter after his family suffered through the horror of three miscarriages. He wants to focus on his home life as COVID-19 rages. This one is going to sting for the Eagles, who have been trying and failing for years to find a deep threat who can stay healthy for Carson Wentz. There is now extra pressure on DeSean Jackson and first-round rookie Jalen Reagor. Headed into his age-30 campaign, Goodwin has had trouble staying healthy in recent years. He was merely going to be a role player, but the Eagles' receiver depth remains a trouble spot.

SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Jul 28, 2020, 12:53 PM

[Futureshock]

MICHAEL PIERCEDL, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Vikings NT Michael Pierce has opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.


Pierce has a case of "really bad asthma." That entitles him to the $350,000 "high-risk stipend." Pierce was the only notable addition in free agency for a team that let Everson Griffen walk. Griffen does remain on the open market. Going on 28, Pierce's $3 million guaranteed will now toll to 2021. This is not the case with Pierce, but an unforeseen dynamic could be players opting out to hedge against losing their guaranteed money if COVID-19 eventually forces the cancellation of the season.

SOURCE: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Jul 28, 2020, 12:37 PM

[Futureshock]

STAR LOTULELEIDL, BUFFALO BILLS
Bills DT Star Lotulelei has opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.


30-year-old Lotulelei was due $4.5 million guaranteed this season. That will now toll to 2021, with $150,000 of it being paid now as a "stipend." One of the league's better-known run stuffers, Lotulelei is not an impact player, but it forces the Bills to immediately dip into their depth in a season where they are beginning to look like AFC East favorites. Harrison Phillips and Vernon Butler are the next men up.

SOURCE: Joe Buscaglia on Twitter
Jul 28, 2020, 11:40 AM

[Futureshock]

PATRICK CHUNGDB, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Patriots S Patrick Chung has opted out of the 2020 season to the coronavirus pandemic.


This is beginning to get serious for the Pats, who have now lost Chung, Dont'a Hightower and Marcus Cannon in one 12-hour period. Players seem to be even more concerned about COVID-19 and the league's protocols than they were letting on. Chung has a child on the way, and did not want to take any chances. One of Bill Belichick's most trusted players on defense, Chung's absence will create a huge void on the back end of the Pats' defense. Coupled with their losses in free agency, the Patriots are beginning to look extremely vulnerable, even if Cam Newton can bounce back. 22 days shy of his 33rd birthday, Chung's contract will toll to 2021, but his age means his future role will be up in the air.

SOURCE: Mike Reiss on Twitter
Jul 28, 2020, 11:38 AM