Tag: NFL preseason

NFLPA recommends canceling preseason altogether this year

The NFLPA doesn’t want to hold any preseason games at all in 2020.

The NFL has already decided to trim two games from the preseason schedule this year, but there could be further changes on the horizon. According to reports, the NFLPA voted unanimously to recommend playing no preseason games due to coronavirus concerns.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the preseason is being canceled altogether since the owners still have to approve it. However, it’s clear that players are not completely comfortable with playing games this summer.

If the preseason were to be canceled, here’s how the training camp schedule could look, according to the players’ union.

This would conceivably lead to some sloppy football early in the season, with teams having very little preparation before Week 1. Still, it’s better to have sloppy football than no football at all.

If the preseason were to be canceled, it would hurt the chances of undrafted free agents to make it in the NFL. They count on those games for exposure and as opportunities to show their coaches that they deserve a spot on the 53-man roster.

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Broncos rookies will report to training camp on July 21

Broncos rookies are scheduled to report for training camp on July 21.

Denver Broncos training camp practices are just a few weeks away.

Broncos coaches will report to the team’s facility on July 14 and rookies will report on July 21, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Denver’s veterans will report for camp on July 28, with practices starting shortly thereafter.

After all the players have reported, the Broncos will have 25 days to prepare for their preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 22 (assuming there will be a preseason).

After that, Denver is scheduled to face the Los Angeles Rams in their preseason finale on Saturday, Aug. 29, leaving 16 days until their regular season opener. The NFL has not yet confirmed any updates to the preseason schedule so those dates are subject to change.

It remains to be seen if fans will be allowed to attend training camp practices — or games — in August. The NFL is considering having fans sign a COVID-19 liability waiver in order to attend games this season.

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NFL might have fans sign COVID-19 waivers to attend games

The NFL is considering having fans sign COVID-19 liability waivers to attend games this fall.

The NFL plans to eliminate two preseason games — and possibly the entire preseason — because of COVID-19 but as of now, the league is still hoping to have a 16-game regular season.

Ideally, the NFL would like to have fans in the stands, too.

If fans are allowed to attend games this fall, they might have to sign a COVID waiver, according to a report from The Athletic‘s Daniel Kaplan.

“The NFL is considering requiring fans attending games this season to sign liability waivers shielding the teams from COVID-19 lawsuits,” Kaplan wrote on Wednesday (subscription required for link).

If NFL games are played without fans, the Broncos would miss out on $162 million generated from ticket sales, concessions, parking, merchandise and in-stadium sponsorships, according to an estimate from Forbes.

Empower Field at Mile High is currently expected to host one preseason game in August but that is subject to change in the coming weeks.

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4 Chargers who could suffer the most from a shortened preseason

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out four Chargers players who might not benefit from a shortened preseason.

It was reported that the NFL will reduce the amount of preseason games by taking out Week 1 and Week 4 due to the coronavirus concerns. That would mean that the Chargers will only have two matchups, one against the Rams and the other against the Seahawks.

The preseason isn’t as big of a deal because Los Angeles, along with other teams across the league, tend to rest the starters for the most part. That time is used for players that are fighting for vacant starting jobs and spots on the final 53-man roster.

With that being said, we are going to take a look at four Chargers players who might suffer the most from the reduction in games played this preseason.

FS Nasir Adderley

The battle for the free safety job last season was between Adderley, who was taken in the second-round last year and Rayshawn Jenkins. Adderley showed some immense flashes of earning the starting role. However, injuries kept him off the field, which left Jenkins as the starter.

Since Jenkins earned the trust of the coaching staff with his play and the fact that Adderley will be limited to only two showings to try to display what he did in last preseason’s exhibition against the 49ers, it may be an uphill climb for the former Delaware product.

DT Jerry Tillery

The Chargers selected Tillery in the first-round of last year’s draft with the hopes of him enhancing the pass-rush from the inside. However, he experienced a down rookie season, totaling only three quarterback hits on the season.

Tillery missing the entire spring program to heal from a shoulder injury didn’t help with his transition from college to the pros. But upon hitting the field, he hardly had an answer when facing the strength and grit of NFL offensive linemen.

The hope is that having the full offseason to get stronger in the weight room will help in becoming a better player. But in order to make it all come together he needs reps, which is something Tillery will be lacking with the shortened preseason slate.

OT Trey Pipkins

Pipkins, the team’s third-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft, wasn’t expected to take a single snap in his rookie season. However, that narrative took a turn when Russell Okung dealt with a combination of a serious health issue and injuries.

Pipkins was forced into the action as early as Week 4 and saw the bulk of his playing time come starting in Week 10. Like any rookie offensive lineman, he experienced some struggles against NFL pass-rushers, but as he received more playing time, his strengths became more apparent.

The ball is in Pipkins’ court for the starting job after the team didn’t acquire left tackle. He has done a nice job transforming his body, but he needs a handful of snaps against edge rushers in order to show that he’s capable of protecting either Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert’s blindside.

QB Justin Herbert

The Chargers took a gamble on Herbert in the draft with the hopes of becoming the long-term answer at the quarterback position. There’s no denying Herbert’s NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent and intelligence.

However, he needs to improve his decision-making, eye discipline and overall consistency to succeed. In order for him to do that, Herbert must see live snaps. Rather than having four games, he will be limited to just half of that.

While he may not see the field as much during the regular season, as Tyrod Taylor is slated to start, the preseason would’ve been perfect for Herbert to get accustomed to NFL defenses without being the determining factor of the win-loss column.

Report: Vikings to have preseason schedule cut to two games

Another wrinkle in the offseason: All NFL teams will reportedly have their preseason schedule cut to two games.

An unconventional offseason got even more unconventional, according to reports from multiple outlets.

ESPN and the Associated Press reported that each NFL team, the Vikings included, will now have just two preseason games. Week 1 and Week 4 games would be eliminated.

For the Vikings, that means the games against the Texans (Week 1) and the Seahawks (Week 4) will no longer be played.

The Vikings game against the Bengals and the Browns are still on as of now.

Every NFL team’s first preseason game will be played Aug. 20-24 and the second one will be the next week. Every team gets one home and one away game.

As it stands, the two games on the Vikings’ preseason slate are both away games, meaning one will have to be switched, based on the report from ESPN.

This new-look Vikings team will now have less of a sample size for the preseason. That will make the two preseason games all the more important for players trying to make the roster.

Report: Titans’ preseason schedule will be cut in half

The Titans will play two less preseason games in 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic took its toll on sports back in March, and has continued to so since.

Now, COVID-19 is affecting the NFL preseason and the Tennessee Titans.

On Wednesday, the league reportedly decided to cancel two preseason games. This means each team will have two preseason games — two home and two away.

The Titans were originally set to face play the Washington Redskins on Aug. 15, the New York Giants on Aug. 2 at home, at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 29 and play at home against Chicago on Sept. 3.

Here’s a look at the updated preseason schedule. Teams are still expected to have veterans report to training camp no later than July 28.

There’s also always the chance further action could be taken.

Doing away with games allows for a longer acclimation period as teams try to establish protocols to avoid transmission of the virus while they also allow for more time for conditioning after a virtual offseason.

NFL to cut 2020 preseason in half: What it means for the Panthers

The NFL is cutting two of its four preseason games from the 2020 schedule, according to a report by Kevin Seifert at ESPN.

The NFL is cutting two of its four preseason games from the 2020 schedule, according to a report by Kevin Seifert at ESPN. Here’s how he explains it.

“In essence, the league canceled Weeks 1 and 4 of its original preseason schedule. It had previously canceled its Aug. 8 Hall of Fame game. Most players will still report to training camp on July 28, but the first preseason games won’t be played until Aug. 20-24. The second week of preseason games is scheduled for Aug. 27-31. Each team will play one home game and one on the road.”

For the Panthers, this means they won’t be playing the Jaguars Week 1 or the Steelers Week 4 as originally planned. However, they will be keeping the two far more compelling preseason matchups on their schedule.

First, they’ll have to compete with a familiar face when they visit Cam Newton and the Patriots at Foxboro on Thursday, Aug. 20.

The Panthers will also get some national exposure when they host Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, Aug. 30.

The driving force behind these changes is of course the pandemic and the havoc it’s wreaked on teams’ offseason schedule. New coaches like Matt Rhule haven’t had any in-person time to get to know their players and install their playbooks.

Teams are still scheduled to start training camp on July 28, with rookies reporting one week earlier.

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Broncos will only have 2 preseason games this summer

The Broncos will only play two preseason games this summer instead of the usual four.

The NFL’s preseason schedule has been cut in half because of COVID-19, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. The news was first reported by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

The league is eliminating the preseason games that were previously scheduled for Weeks 1 and 4. For the Denver Broncos, that’s a home game against the San Francisco 49ers (Aug. 15) and a road game against the Arizona Cardinals (Sept. 3).

If the dates are not revised, the Broncos’ new preseason schedule will feature a home game against the Chicago Bears (Aug. 22) and a road game against the Los Angeles Rams (Aug. 29). Those games will be broadcast locally on 9News/KTVD-20.

The league is still planning to have training camps start on time (July 28). It’s unclear if fans will be allowed to attend training camp practices this summer.

Denver is scheduled to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 of the regular season on “Monday Night Football.” That game will be nationally televised on ESPN on Monday, Sept. 14 at 8: 15 p.m. MT (view the Broncos’ complete regular season schedule here).

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NFL to shorten 2020 preseason from four to two games

The NFL, citing player readiness for the 2020 season, has decided to shorten the preseason from four to two games.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL has already canceled the Hall of Fame Game and postponed the 2020 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Now, reports indicate that the league will also shorten the 2020 preseason from four games to two.

As first reported by Pro Football Talk and confirmed by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the first and fourth preseason games will be canceled, which means that the preseason won’t begin until August 20-24. This could mean the end of the four-game preseason, which first came to be when the NFL expanded the regular season from 14 to 16 games in 1978. With the regular season set to expand to 17 games as early as 2021, the CBA allows for a more permanently abbreviated preseason.

The primary driver for 2020 is the fact that, while players are still schedule to report to training camps in late July, there have been no minicamps or organized workouts, thus no provisions for players to start the previously scheduled preseason in anything approaching football shape.

The NFL and the NFLPA continue to hammer out a series of protocols for a full regular season. These protocols will have to include constant testing, possible quarantining, and the ability to navigate the fact that some states (New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts) now require that anyone who enters from other states where coronavirus cases are increasing undergo quarantine for two weeks on arrival.

So, we’re not yet sure if this most recent cancellation is the final one in an offseason of uncertainty, or if this is, like the pandemic itself, merely a spike in a possible larger wave to come.

Report: NFL cancels 2 preseason games

The NFL has cut the preseason in half as the country continues to see spikes in the number of infected with COVID-19.

An already tumultuous offseason will continue to be modified due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL is canceling two preseason games — specifically the first and last scrimmages — according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert and PFT’s Mike Florio.

For the Baltimore Ravens, that will mean preseason games against the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins will be scrapped. However, it does mean Baltimore will play against the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers this preseason, with the Ravens meeting the Cowboys again in the regular season (Week 13). It will also be the first time since 2016 that Baltimore and Washington haven’t squared off in the preseason.

By removing the first game of the preseason, the NFL’s decision will give teams more time to prepare. With in-person minicamps canceled this offseason, training camp marks the first time coaches and players will be on the practice field together since last season. In Baltimore’s case, their first preseason game will be on Aug. 22, nearly a month after the start of training camp. The decision to shorten the preseason this year also limits the amount of travel being done as the country continues to see the number of cases of infected rise.

The last preseason game is often the one that fans dislike the most. Because it’s closer to the regular season, teams don’t often play their starters at all and leave those reps for players on the bubble. For fans, that ultimately watching a bunch of third and fourth stringers, many of whom aren’t going to be one the team days later when rosters get trimmed to 53 players.

While the regular season hasn’t yet been impacted by these changes, training camp and the preseason will be the league’s first real test of their protocols.

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