After spending weeks on concocting the conditions in which they will return to for camp, the NFLPA and NFL have agreed to a deal on all the CBA issues that concern practice, testing protocols, and other issues connected to the coronavirus pandemic.
From @NFLPA pic.twitter.com/m2OsCyUxAu
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 24, 2020
Not too soon after the NFLPA broke the news, NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell also chimed in with the following statement:
Statement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: https://t.co/jlTaMIWvRm pic.twitter.com/uCTMPf0Tc1
— NFL345 (@NFL345) July 24, 2020
This comes after the NFL an NFLPA agreed to completely get rid of the preseason for 2020 and agreed to daily testing for two weeks. However, heading into Friday there were things that needed to be ironed out in terms of the salary cap and schedule for training camp most notably.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, practices on the field won’t start until Day 16 of camp and the first padded practices will occur five days later. Prior to that each team will have virtual meetings, testing, physicals, and strength and conditioning to prep them for on the field activities.
Per sources, camp timeline in the NFL's proposal …
Day 1: Testing/virtual meetings.
Days 2-3: Virtual meetings.
Day 4: Testing/virtual meetings.
Days 5-6: Physicals.
Days 7-15: Strength and conditioning (with a day off.)
Day 16: Practice starts.
Day 21: First padded practice.— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 24, 2020
As for the financial side, the salary cap in 2020 will remain at $198.2 million and will be a minimum of $175 million in 2021, which will mark a decrease of roughly $25 million. After that point, they will try and spread out the revenue shortfall by potentially adding more to the cap if the league generates more revenue than expected from 2021-24.
From @NFLTotalAccess: Thanks in part to the relationship built while negotiating a CBA earlier this offseason, the NFL and NFLPA found common ground on a deal without it ever getting ugly. Kudos to both sides making it work in a tough situation. pic.twitter.com/nbUbI5ct32
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 24, 2020
As for the terms for players to opt-out the season, there will be two types. One for a voluntary opt-out, which will include a $150,000 salary advance and a high risk opt-out with a $350,000 stipend.
Details on two types of opt-outs, which are irrevocable and due 7 days from NFL-NFLPA deal being finalized:
– High risk: $350,000 stipend with no offset, accrued/credited season
– Voluntary: $150,000 salary advance, no accrued/credited season
Either way, contract tolls.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 24, 2020