NFL Notes: Colin Kaepernick, 2020 Season, Minority HC/Exec Hires

Colin Kaepernick

Rumors persist that teams are reaching out to friends and associates of free-agent QB Colin Kaepernick.

Mike Garafolo reports that such meetings are taking place and teams are closer to making a potential move.

“Teams are circling around here getting closer, I believe, certainly closer than they’ve been in recent years,” Garafolo said on NFL Network, via NFL.com. “Now you might say why not just go directly to Kaepernick, go directly to his agent? Why do you have to play this game where you’re working the periphery — just more of the same? That would be a fair point. My understanding, at least to explain it from a team’s perspective, is they’re still doing their homework, still doing their research. When they get to the point where they’re confident enough that they think they can work out a contract, that’s when there’ll be direct communication with the agent. But for now … we all see more positive signs that Kaepernick could be back in the league soon.”

2020 Season

• NFL Chief Doctor Allen Sills said the league testing: “We’re setting up a very ambitious testing program. Testing alone will not be sufficient to keep everyone healthy. It’s vitally important to keep social distances and use masks when possible.” (Ian Rapoport)
• NFL executive VP Jeff Pash on what teams have been advised about training camp: “Training camps are expected to open on the normal schedule, so for most clubs that would be July 28th. And then obviously you can bring rookies and other players in before that.” (Pat Leonard)
• One league official on whether teams could be playing home games elsewhere due to the pandemic: “The focus is on playing in home stadiums, even if that is initially without fans in some stadiums.” (Pat Leonard)
• Pash says the league is discussing the possibility of special COVID-19 reserve lists with the NFLPA. (Albert Breer)
• According to Josina Anderson of ESPN, while Pash stated today he expects training camps to start on time, a league source added: “They don’t have the testing in place yet, so we’ll see. Lots of work to be done.” 
• According to Mike Jones, teams will follow local guidelines when determining whether fans will be allowed in stadiums, but it’s unclear which tickets will be sold in a reduced-capacity situation. 

Minority HC/Exec Hires

• Tom Pelissero reports that the NFL competition committee is still hoping to present a revised proposal to reward teams for identifying and developing coaches and executives of color at the fall meeting in October.
• Pelissero says the competition committee is still getting feedback from clubs and external experts, but this is still an option for the next hiring cycle.
• NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said the resolution received multiple amendments before it was ultimately tabled in May, including the controversial amendment to reward teams with draft picks for hiring minorities.
• Pelissero adds that the original objective of the club proposal was to reward teams for identifying and developing talent.