Category: Training Camp

2020 NFL Season: What changes are being considered on and off the field?

2020 NFL Season: What changes are being considered on and off the field due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

The NFL and NFLPA are now within a month of players reporting to training camp.  The players, led by Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA president JC Tretter, want information on what the league protocols for a return to the field will be. Meanwhile, the NFL is trying to gather as much information it can before they have to roll out their protocols and attempt to achieve an accord with the players.

There are a lot of possibilities that have been floated, so let’s see if we can make some sense of what we know.

Training Camp Dates

According to Mike Florio of PFT, Rookies can be required to report to NFL facilities as early as July 19th for their initial COVID-19 testing and conditioning on July 21st. Injured veterans can be required to report for testing on July 21st and conditioning on July 23rd. The rest of the training camp roster will report for testing on July 26th with conditioning on July 28th. Full squad training camp can start on July 28th.

Roster Size

I spoke with Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network Thursday on my podcast, ‘All Eyez on Cleveland’ and he said that team’s roster size would likely be cut down to 75 by the start of camp on July 28th.

The interesting part here is that there are two approaches being considered to get to 75 players. Pauline went on to tell me that teams could potentially bring in rookies, UDFAs, roster invites and even some second year players for a few days of work before the rest of the players report. Front offices could use this short period to evaluate the back end of their roster and cut to 75 before things officially get underway on July 28th.

The other option would require front offices to take a closer look at their 90-man roster and get it down to 75 based on information they already have. Either way, teams will be cutting players right away to get their roster size down.

Hotels not mandatory

A month ago, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that all 32 NFL teams were going to be required to hold training camp at their home facilities. Many teams have mandated hotel stays during these periods in the past but due to the pandemic, no one will be required to stay in a hotel.

There may be rookies who don’t have homes in their team’s location yet who will need to be accommodated with a hotel room. It is also possible that some players may choose to use a hotel as a way to keep potential infection away from their homes, where their loved ones reside. However, teams will not be able to require hotel stays as they have in the past.

Travel

Obviously, this changes when a team travels for away games. The concept of game day travel has been discussed and met with some resistance from multiple players.

It is understandable that the players would push back against this idea and I’m sure coaches can’t be too keen on the idea either. Jumping off a plane and going straight to the stadium is asking for additional injury concerns.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Report: Bears will carry fewer than 90 players at training camp

NFL teams like the Bears will carry fewer than the usual 90 players at training camp, and it can be anywhere from 75 to 80.

Now that we’ve hit the month of July, the countdown is on for training camp later this month. The Chicago Bears and the rest of the league are slated to start training camp on July 28. But it’ll surely be different than any camp in the past.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL teams like the Bears will carry fewer than the usual 90 players at training camp. While there’s no definitive number, Schefter says he’s heard everything from 75 to 80. But one thing’s clear: It’ll definitely not be 90 players.

Given the reports that the preseason has been cut in half — from four to two games — it makes sense as teams wouldn’t need as many players for training camp as normal.

But it’s certainly a blow to guys like the undrafted free agents looking to play their way onto the roster or the practice squad, which included impactful guys like defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris, cornerback Bryce Callahan and receiver Cameron Meredith in the past.

[vertical-gallery id=449460]

[lawrence-related id=449697,449668,449661,449660,448784]

4 things I learned about the Lions during the virtual offseason program

On Matt Patricia, Trey Flowers, Jeff Okudah and the respect for Matthew Stafford

The Detroit Lions wrapped up the virtual offseason program last week. It was a modification from the normal series of OTAs and minicamps due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The team did a good job keeping the media looped in via frequent Zoom teleconferences. With everyone working remotely, it was difficult to coordinate bringing everyone together.

Here are a few things I picked up about the team from the virtual offseason program.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

JC Tretter sounds the alarm against NFL players rushing back to play

Browns center and NFLPA president JC Tretter cautioned that players are not yet safe to return to work

Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter is the president of the NFL player’s union, and in that capacity he issued a somber warning that football might not be ready to roll on schedule.

Tretter made it clear the players will not rush back just to play football for fans’ amusement. And he indicated there is a way to go before the players and owners agree on how to keep the inherently dangerous contact sport as safe as possible in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From his open letter on the NFLPA page,

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe work environment. I encourage all workers to hold their employers accountable to high standards. More so than any other sport, the game of football is the perfect storm for virus transmission. There are protections, both short and long term, that must be agreed upon before we can safely return to work. The NFLPA will be diligent as we demand that the NFL provide us the safest workplace possible.

That is an ominous warning that the NFLPA is not yet comfortable with getting back on the field right now.

Tretter noted the worry many players have about their families, as well as some players who are immunocompromised and their increased risk if they contract the coronavirus. Those concerns have led some players in other sports, notably Los Angeles Lakers starter Avery Bradley, to refuse to return to work.

Training camp is still scheduled to begin in late July but that seems in some peril based on Tretter’s letter.

College athletics issues with COVID-19 are an issue for the Lions, NFL

Recent spikes of positive cases of COVID-19 among college athletes spells potential bad news for the NFL

The NFL announced this week that there will be no minicamps for any team. Based on what’s happening with college athletes returning to group workouts and activities, it’s probably a wise decision by the NFL.

The Universit of Houston and Iowa State University have both had resurgence of COVID-19 diagnoses since ramping up their athletic workouts. Houston quickly suspended all voluntary activities for all sports, which were the only current events going on.

It’s a warning against the desire to return to normalcy for the NFL and the other pro sports leagues. Despite the precautions being taken, athletes are still getting new positive diagnoses for COVID-19. It’s important to note there is no reporting on the severity of the cases, but the fact that new cases are directly tied to athletes grouping together and participating in workouts is a harbinger that the NFL is right to take seriously.

Michigan is gradually reopening to business as normal. Michiganders will be able to get haircuts again starting this week. Many high school football programs have kicked off conditioning, with a careful nod to social distancing and disinfection of equipment. But the Lions will not reconvene in Allen Park en masse anytime soon.

[lawrence-related id=45331]

There are still several weeks before training camp kicks off. If more coronavirus situations like what has happened with Houston and Iowa State crop up, it will be a tougher sell for more restrictive states like Michigan to allow a full training camp with actual physical contact. And based on the NFL’s edict that all teams must have the same local authorizations before all can advance to the next portion of the offseason, what’s happening with the colleges could be a real problem for the NFL.

What exactly are the Lions missing with minicamp canceled?

Minicamp is typically the first chance to see the new Lions players in uniform

There will be no minicamp for the Detroit Lions in 2020, nor will there be for any other NFL team. The league canceled the summer rite of football passage as part of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What exactly are the Lions and the other teams missing out on by not having minicamp?

The primary difference between the typical OTA session, which the Lions are conducting virtually in this strange offseason, and minicamp is the volume of time allowed between players and coaches. In minicamp, coaches are allowed up to 10 hours a day of direct contact with players, versus just two per day in OTAs. That includes both on-field instruction and meeting room time.

There is still no live contact allowed during the minicamp practice sessions. One-on-one drills between offense and defense are still prohibited and the players are not in full pads, just like the regular OTAs. Shorts and shells are the norm.

It’s a more structured, standardized schedule that all teams follow:

  • Player physicals on Monday, but no on-field work
  • Practices Tuesday-Thursday, no practice allowed on Friday
  • Allowed two practices totaling 3.5 hours on the field each day
  • Wednesday practice is walk-through only

Minicamp is also the first time the media is required to be permitted by the team to have access to watching the sessions. The Lions typically permit some media coverage of OTAs but it’s very limited. Most of the time, minicamp is the first time anyone sees the team in Lions jerseys since the end of the last season.

All of that will have to wait for training camp this year, which remains tentatively on schedule for late July in Allen Park.

There will be no Lions minicamp in 2020

The NFL has canceled the mandatory minicamp for all 32 teams due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has claimed another yearly NFL rite of passage. There will be no mandatory team minicamps this summer. The league announced the move on Thursday in a letter to all teams.

Form the memo distributed to all 32 clubs by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell,

“Although under a traditional schedule, mandatory minicamps are scheduled to open next week, after discussion with the CEC, we have concluded that it would be prudent not to hold in-person minicamps under the current circumstances and have instead determined to extend the Virtual Period through and including June 26. We will continue working with the NFLPA to conclude the remaining protocols and finalize arrangements for the safe opening of training camps next month.”

The memo then laid out what alternate plans are in place for the elimination of the minicamps, which typically take place in the middle of June.

“Clubs have the option to continue their virtual offseason programs through June 26 or discontinue them after this week. All offseason workout programs must conclude by June 26.’’

The Lions have yet to indicate if they will extend their ongoing virtual offseason to the end of the permissible time. No word on training camp yet, either.

NFL informs teams there will be no minicamps this year

NFL informs teams there will be no minicamps this year, and the Browns will continue their virtual offseason through the week of June 22nd

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has claimed another yearly NFL rite of passage. There will be no mandatory team minicamps this summer. The league announced the move on Thursday in a letter to all teams.

Form the memo distributed to all 32 clubs by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell,

“Although under a traditional schedule, mandatory minicamps are scheduled to open next week, after discussion with the CEC, we have concluded that it would be prudent not to hold in-person minicamps under the current circumstances and have instead determined to extend the Virtual Period through and including June 26. We will continue working with the NFLPA to conclude the remaining protocols and finalize arrangements for the safe opening of training camps next month.”

The memo then laid out what alternate plans are in place for the elimination of the minicamps, which typically take place in the middle of June.

“Clubs have the option to continue their virtual offseason programs through June 26 or discontinue them after this week. All offseason workout programs must conclude by June 26.’’

The Browns have indicated they will continue with their ongoing virtual offseason through at least June 22nd.

Allen Robinson has been working with Mitchell Trubisky four times a week

Allen Robinson has stayed in “great shape” during this offseason, which includes working with Mitchell Trubisky several times per week.

Entering a contract year, Chicago Bears receiver Allen Robinson will be looking to replicate his success from last season in 2020. Robinson was the lone bright spot on Chicago’s abysmal offense, where he had 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns.

But the question is: Who will be throwing to Robinson when the regular season begins?

Following a disappointing 2019 season by Mitchell Trubisky, general manager Ryan Pace traded for veteran Nick Foles to compete with Trubisky for the starting job.

Obviously, that quarterback competition can’t actually begin until the Bears hit the practice field, which figures to be training camp in July.

One of the challenges of this social-distancing offseason has been the inability to get back on the field during offseason programs. But Robinson has managed to stay in “great shape” during this offseason, which includes working with Trubisky about four times a week.

Matt Nagy added that Trubisky has been throwing with several Bears receivers this offseason, which he called “freaking awesome.”

“I’ve been able to get on the field with Mitch quite a bit,” Robinson said. “We get on the field about four times a week. Just being able to get on the field with him and also being able to do different things on my own conditioning-wise and (inaudible) wise, being able to still maintain a very good regimen of what I’m doing.

“I feel in great shape. I feel I’ve been extremely productive throughout this quarantine and throughout this offseason. I know for a fact that my best days of football are ahead of me. I’m still trying to stack these work days in the bank so I can bring that to the table once the season comes.”

While Robinson has been working with Trubisky, that doesn’t mean that Trubisky has the upper hand against Foles in Chicago’s quarterback competition. Robinson is ready to work with whoever lines up under center come Week 1.

“To be quite honest, I think that I feel confident regardless,” Robinson said. “I think it’s on the staff on what they want to see. Because it doesn’t really come down to me, as Allen Robinson.

“You know, it’s a person who has to lead a whole group of men. That has to lead the offense, has to lead the team. I’m just a piece to the puzzle. For me, it’s going to be a fun training camp. I’m really looking forward to training camp.”

Given that there are a lot of starting jobs up for grabs, including quarterback, it’s safe to say this is one of the most anticipated and important training camps in recent history for the Bears.

[vertical-gallery id=445985]

[lawrence-related id=448046,448034,447875,447909,448003,447989]

Jags’ joint practice session with Bucs called off by NFL

The Jags and Bucs (neither will any other teams) have joint practice sessions this year as the NFL sent out a memo that prohibits them.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had consecutive joint practices for several years now but that streak will end this year. The league sent a memo to the whole league Tuesday stating that joint practices will be prohibited this year due to the complications caused by the coronavirus.

The Jags had plans to travel to their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Bucs, for joint practice sessions before their Week 2 preseason matchup. It would’ve marked their second time linking up under Doug Marrone as they also had joint practices together in 2017.

The Jags used all 12 of their draft selections this April and added 18 undrafted players, so they unquestionably will be one of the youngest teams in football — if not the youngest. Eliminating their joint practice session with the Bucs certainly can’t help their situation as it provided a chance to match up with a postseason caliber team.

Teams are already missing time together and have had to resort to virtual meetings to mostly communicate. When adding in the fact that teams reportedly won’t get back to action until training camp, it appears the Jags’ young players are going to start their careers with a crash course.