NFL News

[Forsh]

Dont’a Hightower Opts Out Of Playing In 2020

Last Updated 7:47 AM, July 28, 2020 EDT – Josh Alper

That's a lot of LB talent gone from a really good defense last season

[jaadam4]

EVERSON GRIFFENDL, UNSIGNED FREE AGENT


The Packers have expressed interest in free agent DE Everson Griffen, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.


The interest is mutual, per Rapoport, as Griffen narrows his list of options. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has continued to say he would welcome Griffen back and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also reported the Cardinals could bring in Griffen to elevate their pass rush. Of the three, the Packers actually make the least amount of sense due to investing so much at the position in recent years - Za'Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, just to name a few. This could be an agent-driven play to drive up Griffen's eventual signing price.

SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Jul 27, 2020, 3:06 PM

Fuck.. please no

[TheLondonLion]

The Marlins lit up by Coronavirus. It really doesn’t bode well for the NFL at all. One or two outbreaks in the fall will cause havoc and there doesn’t seem to be a plan B. They should have a bubble ready.

[TheLondonLion]

Eddie Goldman out. Patrick Chung out along with 6 Pats.

[Futureshock]

The Marlins lit up by Coronavirus. It really doesn’t bode well for the NFL at all. One or two outbreaks in the fall will cause havoc and there doesn’t seem to be a plan B. They should have a bubble ready.

I said from the beginning they should have bubbled in Hawaii. It's naturally isolated and enough room for everyone. But, greed is always on the agenda with NFL owners. They want that local sponsorship money.

There's no way a team doesn't end up (or worse) like the Marlins with a ton of players infected at one time.

These goof balls don't know what the hale they're doing. For instance (common sense) after every play the ball should be sanitized by the ref spotting it. He could easily have a towel attached in back of him that is saturated with disinfectant and just roll it in there. It should take 2 seconds. Simple stuff like this that they aren't even considering should have been put in place months ago.

[Futureshock]

At the very least they should be doing the old training camp hotel thing. Where they're all sequestered in one hotel. At least then you could test and then train with confidence.

But I don't begrudge none of these guys for opting out because the NFL (like a lot of business owners) aren't seeing the full picture and they're trying to keep it the same. It can't be the same.

[Futureshock]

Joey got paid. Good for you...



Chargers make massive commitment to Joey Bosa during strange times

Posted by Mike Florio on July 29, 2020, 6:33 AM EDT

Getty Images

Joey Bosa‘s holdout from 2016 apparently resonated into 2020.

At a time when the NFL is bracing for a season of unprecedented chaos, unexpected losses and a potentially sharp drop in the salary cap for 2021, the Chargers bit the bullet and made Joey Bosa the highest paid defensive player in NFL history with a massive five-year, $135 million extension. Coupled with the $14.36 million Bosa was due to make in 2020, it’s a six-year deal with a value at signing of $24.89 million per year.

The $27 million new-money average leapfrogs Browns defensive end Myles Garrett by $2 million per year and leaves Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, at $23 million per year, and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, at $22.5 million per year, in the dust.

Despite the Chargers being on the brink of a season with no fans in the stands (some would say that’s no different than any other season), they broke the bank for Bosa, who held out deep into his rookie preseason over a handful of relatively minor issues in his largely boilerplate contract as the third overall pick in the draft. This time around, the Chargers wouldn’t have surrendered $78 million fully guaranteed and $102 million in total guarantees if they didn’t fear a holdout from Bosa, or perhaps even an opt out.

Bosa has 40 career sacks in 51 career games, an average of 0.78 per game. He has one Pro Bowl appearance in four years, and he has missed 13 games in four seasons due to injury.

Bosa has tremendous potential and at times he has had significant production, but his high-water mark for single-season sacks is only 12.5 — with Melvin Ingram on the other side of the line to dilute the attention that can be devoted to Bosa.

And so the deal can be characterized as nothing other than a grand slam for Bosa, especially in light of the current issues engulfing the Chargers and the rest of the NFL. Although the final numbers will tell the whole story, in this situation the early indications are that Bosa got every penny, and possibly then some, from the Chargers.

[Futureshock]

What a mess...


Quinton Dunbar also set to appeal placement on exempt list

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 29, 2020, 3:14 AM EDT

Getty Images

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar is also intending to appeal his placement on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

Dunbar, along with New York Giants cornerback Deandre Baker, were placed on the list on Monday ahead of the start of training camps across the league. Dunbar and Baker have been accused of committing armed robbery from an incident at a house party in May in Miramar, Florida.

Dunbar’s attorney, Andrew Rier, said they plan to appeal the placement on the exempt list.

“My client has been arrested. My client has not been indicted. My client has not been formally charged,” Rier said, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. “The letter that the NFL issued indicates specifically that the reason that DeAndre Baker and Quinton Dunbar are exempt is because they’ve been formally charged. They have not.”

The case itself is a bit of a mess. The alleged victims of the robbery supposedly signed affidavits in the days after the incident claiming that Dunbar wasn’t involved. However, a warrant issued in the case alleged that there was evidence that the individuals had been paid off in exchange for their recanted testimony at the law offices of Dunbar’s prior attorney, Michael Grieco.

Grieco denied that notion before parting ways with Dunbar, who subsequently hired Rier as his new representation. The Florida Bar is reportedly investigating Grieco over the incident now as well.

Dunbar had been cleared to travel by the courts to Seattle for training camp before the NFL nixed his participation with the move to the exempt list.

Baker appealed his placement on the list and Dunbar appears set to follow shortly.

[Futureshock]

I said from the beginning they should have bubbled in Hawaii. It's naturally isolated and enough room for everyone. But, greed is always on the agenda with NFL owners. They want that local sponsorship money.

There's no way a team doesn't end up (or worse) like the Marlins with a ton of players infected at one time.

These goof balls don't know what the hale they're doing. For instance (common sense) after every play the ball should be sanitized by the ref spotting it. He could easily have a towel attached in back of him that is saturated with disinfectant and just roll it in there. It should take 2 seconds. Simple stuff like this that they aren't even considering should have been put in place months ago.

This is...

Browns still hoping to have fans able to attend games this season

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 28, 2020, 11:29 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Cleveland Browns are still hoping they will be able to have fans attend their home games this season.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the team is still exploring the possible options that would make having fans attend games at FirstEnergy Stadium a reality.

“It’s fluid,” team spokesman Peter John-Baptiste said. “The Browns understand the importance of creating a safe environment for everyone in the stadium, and we must still present a plan to local, state and medical officials.”

Earlier this month, the Browns informed fans that they can opt out of their season ticket packages for the season without losing their priority for 2021. In a move that has since become uniform across the league, they also noted that all fans that do want to attend games, if possible, will be required to wear masks this season.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was asked about attendance at sporting events on Tuesday and said it’s too soon to know what will or will not make sense come September.

“It’s too early to determine what is safe,” DeWine said. “It’s too early to determine if putting 20,000 people at Ohio State Stadium is really a safe thing or not. I don’t think we know that.”

[TheLondonLion]

I said from the beginning they should have bubbled in Hawaii. It's naturally isolated and enough room for everyone. But, greed is always on the agenda with NFL owners. They want that local sponsorship money.

There's no way a team doesn't end up (or worse) like the Marlins with a ton of players infected at one time.

These goof balls don't know what the hale they're doing. For instance (common sense) after every play the ball should be sanitized by the ref spotting it. He could easily have a towel attached in back of him that is saturated with disinfectant and just roll it in there. It should take 2 seconds. Simple stuff like this that they aren't even considering should have been put in place months ago.

This is headed for total disaster. The Southern states are largely open with the virus tearing through communities. You think a 24 year old linebacker is going to observe social distancing in the week?

Baseball isn’t even a game that relies on human proximity. If that can happen to the Marlins within ONE week imagine what will happen to the NFL.

They had so much time to get this right. The timing couldn’t have been better, as pandemics go. It’s on course to be a train wreck.

[Futureshock]

BTW I will post opt outs in the Coronavirus thread

[Futureshock]

This is headed for total disaster. The Southern states are largely open with the virus tearing through communities. You think a 24 year old linebacker is going to observe social distancing in the week?

Baseball isn’t even a game that relies on human proximity. If that can happen to the Marlins within ONE week imagine what will happen to the NFL.

They had so much time to get this right. The timing couldn’t have been better, as pandemics go. It’s on course to be a train wreck.

Also, the community mindset (which impacts young people more) in those areas are not where they should be in terms of PPE (masks), disinfecting and distancing.

[Futureshock]

Why Lions are keeping 90-man roster for now


The Detroit Lions will have players work out in two separate groups to start training camp to help manage coronavirus concerns and evaluate...

[foxhopper]

Two separate groups? You mean offense and defense will be split this year? lol

[Futureshock]

The only mention of how groups would be split is Rookie and first year guys being separate from veterans.

In the locker room they are spreading positions throughout instead of having them all in one area. IDK if that's the best idea.

I do know that if they, or the NFL in general, doesn't have a plan to keep the balls sanitized, there's going to be a lot of QBs catching the virus. They handle the ball every play.