NFL Notes: 2020 Season, Salary Cap, Training Camp

2020 Season

• Regarding the NFL and NFLPA’s negotiations to return amidst the pandemic, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk that the league has “full authority” to implement rules while the NFLPA has the ability to file immediate grievances on whether players are provided a “reasonably safe workplace.”
• Florio notes that the primary goal for negotiations is to avoid a possible grievance and have players “buy into the rules” ahead of the 2020 season.  
• Tom Pelissero reports that NFL officials are expected to wear some kind of face covering and gloves and potentially could use handheld electronic whistles in 2020.
• Charles Robinson reports that some NFL players with serious asthma concerns may opt-out of the season — including one elite-level player. Robinson adds that he hasn’t heard any final decisions yet, but notes it is clear that some players are seriously weighing sitting out 2020.

Salary Cap

• Albert Breer reports that “no one” around the NFL wants the 2021 salary cap to potentially drop given that this would prevent some players from getting signed and lead to roster cuts. 
• Breer believes a “pay cut or smoothing the cap” will help solve issues. However, he adds that NFL owners did not like the leveled salary cap from 2011-2013 and felt it was an “interest-free loan” for players.
• According to Breer, the 2011-2013 salary cap issue is the reason why NFL owners do not want to borrow money from future years for player salaries.
• In the end, Breer doesn’t expect players to accept an escrow or pay cut for 2020 given they are taking the risk of playing during a pandemic. 

Training Camp

NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said the league “absolutely expects” the possibility that a multitude of players will test positive for the virus when they arrive at training camp on July 28. 

“We absolutely expect that, and I think that’s just reflective of the fact that this disease remains endemic in our society,” said Sills, via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. 

Infectious disease expert Dr. Dev Anderson mentioned that a “critical point” will be identifying infected players as they transition into training camp. 

“The critical period is that transition point,” said Anderson. “It’s not the same, but it’s analogous to all of the work the NHL and NBA are doing as they try to create these protected environments: Identify the people that may have infection or have exposure, and stop them from coming into the club. I think it’s really, really important.”

Anderson said that players would “ideally” have two negative tests before returning to team facilities. 

“Ideally, you’ve got two negative tests over several days before players start to come into the club,” Anderson said. “There are false negatives, and also a time element. The general rule of thumb is that if I’m tested today, it’s an indication of what happened two days ago.”

Seahawks’ team doctor Jonathan Drezner said players are recommended to not exercise while infected with the virus given it increases the likelihood of spreading to the heart and lungs. 

“The recommendation is not to exercise when you are actively affected with the virus, because it can potentially increase the chance that it goes to your heart or lungs,” said Drezner. “So now you have people who are coming out of isolation for 10 to 14 days who need to restart their conditioning and reacclimatization to sports. As much as we’re looking at safety about the virus, there’s also just safety about how you progress appropriately into football for people who haven’t been able to train the way they normally do.”

• According to Dianna Russini, the NFL originally hoped to start training camp by July 28, but the NFLPA has yet to agree on a date to report or prior dates for virus testing.