The Chicago Bears are reporting to training camp today, although it’s sure to look a lot different than in the past given the COVID-19 pandemic. With a ton of uncertainty surrounding the 2020 NFL season, the NFL and NFLPA came to an agreement as far as safety protocols and regulations.
Here are a look at the rules heading into training camp this season:
- The Bears must trim their roster to 80 players by Aug. 16, which is one day before they’re slated to begin padded practices. If teams decide to go the 90-man roster route, they can utilize a split squad format and use their practice facility and stadium.
- Training camp will consist of a 20-day ramp period, which starts with four days of COVID-19 testing followed by two days of physicals. Days 7-14 will be allotted for strength and conditioning only. Teams can begin practices with helmets and shells but no pads on days 15-20.
- A maximum of 14 padded practices can be held, but they can begin no earlier than Aug. 17.
- There will be one off day per every seven days of work.
- There will be no preseason games in 2020.
- Players have until seven days after the agreement is signed whether to opt out for the season.
- For those NFL players who might be at high risk for contracting COVID-19, they can earn $350,000 and an accrued NFL season if they decide to opt out of this season. For those not at risk, they can earn $150,000.
- Practice squads are expanding to 16 players.
- The salary cap for the 2020 season will remain the same at $198.2 million for the Bears and the rest of the NFL. As for the 2021 season, the salary cap will be a minimum $175 million with the potential for being higher if revenue doesn’t take a significant hit.
- If revenue does take a hit, that loss will be spread out through 2024.
- If the NFL season is cancelled or no games played, players that make a team’s 53-man roster will get a stipend of $300,000. But if it were to be cancelled before team’s cut their roster down, players on a team in 2019 will get a stipend of $250,000.
- There has been a fund established that aims to pay back benefits lost as a result of COVID-19 up to 2023 and will pay back lost guaranteed money.
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