Tag: opt outs

NFL opt-out deadline for 2021 season set for players

Players have a week to decide if they want to opt out of the regular season.

Chargers players have until July 2 to decide if they want to opt out of the 2021 regular season.

Players must inform their clubs of their intentions to opt out by 1 p.m. PT next Friday, but individuals deemed “high-risk” to COVID-19 will once again be given a $350,000 stipend, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.

Voluntary opt outs by individuals not considered “high-risk” will not receive the stipend. This is only available to players who signed their contracts before Oct. 1, 2020, which means that rookies are ineligible.

A rookie considered “high-risk” could still opt out, but the team that drafted them would retain their rights.

Last year, Los Angeles didn’t have any of their players opt out.

2021 Citrus Bowl: 3 reasons Northwestern beats Auburn

Auburn’s season will come to a close Friday in a Citrus Bowl showdown with Northwestern. Here is why Aubrn will lose to Northwestern.

Auburn’s season will come to a close Friday in a Citrus Bowl showdown with Northwestern. It will likely be the final game for several of Auburn players and coaches as Brian Harsin will be taking over shortly after the game ends.

Both these teams are carried by their defenses and points will likely come at a premium as both offenses have struggled throughout the season.

Here are three reasons why Northwestern will win Friday.

Report: Key Texas Longhorns players held out for COVID precautions

According to a report from Inside Texas, the Longhorns held out several key players from practice for precautionary reasons.

The Texas Longhorns have gone eight games into the season without any major COVID-19 issues. Their game that was postponed was due to issues on the Kansas Jayhawks team, not the Texas Longhorns. Since they returned to campus in August, the team hasn’t reported any issues. That could change now.

According to Inside Texas, several key players including some starters were held out of practice on Tuesday due to COVID-19 precautions. No positive tests have been reported from the Longhorns so it could be just as simple as players showing symptoms. A precautionary reports is a lot better than the Longhorns shutting down football operations for positive tests within the program.

The optics of the timing look negatively but they have to take the correct measures to ensure the safety of the players and staff. This will be an ongoing situation that we will continue to monitor. The Longhorns are supposed to travel to Manhattan to take on Kansas State this Saturday.

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Could the Texas Longhorns lose anyone else to opt outs?

Following the Texas Longhorns loss to Iowa State, two captains opted out of the season. Any other players join them before the season’s end?

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One of the aspects of this 2020 college football season amidst a pandemic has been the opt-outs. Prior to the season, the Longhorns lost Daniel Young, Marqez Bimage, Willie Tyler, and DaJon Harrison. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak the NCAA allowed players to opt out of the 2020 campaign due to these concerns without any fear of losing their scholarships. Schools were required to honor those commitments.

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In the fallout of the Iowa State loss on senior day, the Longhorns lost two more players to opt outs. Both offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi and safety Caden Sterns opted out of the remainder of the season. They will now focus all attention to preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft. Cosmi is viewed as a first-round selection while the opinions of Sterns are all over the place. He was viewed as a fringe second-round pick during the early portion of the season.

One player who will not be opting out of the remaining three games is senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger. He made that very clear during his media session on Tuesday.

While I absolutely love and respect them, I would never do that. I want to finish what I’ve started here. I will always give my all for my teammates, and everybody’s situation is different. – Ehlinger on opting out of the remainder of the season

With the game against Kansas State approaching in four days, no one expects any other players to make the same decision. However, Joseph Ossai could be another name to monitor. If the Longhorns making a coaching change, as has been widely speculated, or they lose to Kansas State it could become a real option.

While the Longhorns aren’t playing for a Big 12 Championship appearance following the loss to Iowa State on Friday, they are still playing for bowl seeding. Most feel that a Texas Bowl appearance is their likely situation, losses to Kansas State and/or Kansas could change that. It could be the difference between playing in Houston at NRG Stadium or a trip to Memphis and the Liberty Bowl.

As far as Ossai is concerned, he was recently listed as a top 32 draft prospect by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Opting out would prevent any chance of an injury in a game that at this point doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Most feel that this will be the last season for Joseph Ossai. Another name to consider is Brennan Eagles. He has started gaining momentum in the NFL Draft community.

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Michigan State Football starting DE Jacub Panasiuk appears to opt back into season

The presumptive defensive end starter for Michigan State appears to have opted back into the season.

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When we finally received an answer from the Big Ten that football would be returning, it also led to some questions. Mainly, who would be starting for Michigan State Football in this new fall football restart? We have already seen one Spartan opt back into the season when Marcel Lewis announced he would be rescinding his opt out. Now, it looks like the projected starter at the defensive end position, Jacub Panasiuk, will be returning to the fold after initially opting out back in August.

On Friday, Panasiuk tweeted the following, which led to the immediate speculation that he would be returning from his opt out:

This isn’t an official announcement by any means, but it would be weird to tweet something like this and not have it mean he plans to play… only time will tell.

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Michigan State Football redshirt freshman LB Marcel Lewis opts back into season

Michigan State Football linebacker Marcel Lewis has decided to opt back into the season.

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Shortly after Michigan State Football fans received the news that Big Ten Football would be returning this fall, they also received news that one of the players who had opted out earlier due to COVID-19 concerns would be opting back into the season.

Back in early August, redshirt freshman linebacker Marcel Lewis opted out of the season after he had family members who had struggled with COVID-19 during the pandemic and spent time in the hospital. On Wednesday, Lewis tweeted that he had decided to reverse that decision a few weeks ago, opting back into the 2020 season.

Lewis released a statement on his Twitter on Wednesday explaining his decision:

“Just so there isn’t any confusion going on out there,” Lewis wrote, “I have decided to opt back in. I decided to make this decision weeks ago. This decision was due to the more resources we have now and more development in our testing protocols.”

Jacub Panasiuk, Justin Stevens and Jordan Reid are all still currently opting out, at least from what we know at this time.

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Full list of players that opted-out for Bills’ 2020 opponents

Which players from Buffalo Bills’ 2020 opponents opted-out of the 2020 NFL season?

On Thursday, the much anticipated deadline in the NFL came and went. Typically we’re referencing the trade deadline, but due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we received a new one this offseason.

A new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA slated a 4 p.m. deadline for players in the league to opt out of playing next season due to safety concerns in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s unlikely the league will have fans in seats in September, but the plan for now is to have professional football happen, with 66 less players participating.

That number is total number of players that decided not to play next season. Of those, two were from the Bills, defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and cornerback EJ Gaines. In the remaining 64, there were many players who would have suited up against the Bills, potentially, next season.

It’s well known that player opt-outs stung the Patriots pretty heavily, but there’s still 12 other teams to consider on the Bills’ 2020 schedule. Who opted out amongst all 13 opponents Buffalo will face next year? Your full list here:

Dolphins

  • WR Allen Hurns
  • WR Albert Wilson II

Jets

  • WR Josh Doctson
  • OL Leo Holoamatangi
  • LB CJ Mosley

Patriots

  • RB Brandon Bolden
  • OT Marcus Cannon
  • S Patrick Chung
  • LB Dont’a Hightower
  • TE Matt LaCosse
  • WR Marquise Lee
  • OL Najee Toran
  • FB Danny Vitale

Rams

  • OT Chandler Brewer

Raiders

  • LB Ukeme Eligwe
  • DB DJ Killings
  • DE Jeremiah Valoaga

Titans

  • OT Anthony McKinney

Chiefs

  • RB Damien Williams
  • OL Lucas Niang
  • OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif

Seahawks

  • OL Chance Warmack

Cardinals

  • OL Marcus Gilbert

Chargers

  • N/A

49ers

  • WR Travis Benjamin
  • OL Shon Coleman
  • C Jake Brendal

Steelers

  • N/A

Broncos

  • OL Ja-Wuan James
  • DL Kyle Peko

 

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Here is an updated look at Jags’ cap situation since opt outs

The Jags have found themselves ranked in the middle of the league in terms of salary cap after the opt out deadline.

The opt out deadline has come and gone with three players making the decision to sit 2020 out for the Jacksonville Jaguars. As previously reported, those players were defensive tackle Al Woods, linebacker Lerentee McCray, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin.

For these three players, their salaries will toll and then resume in 2021. As a result, their unearned salaries, bonuses, and signing bonus portions will be removed from the Jags’ 2020 cap immediately. In other words, the team gained a little money.

So where does this put the Jags now in terms of salary cap?

Well, according to ESPN’s Field Yates, right in the middle. As of Friday, the Jags were ranked 16th when comparing their cap situation to the rest of the league’s with just over $16.9 million.

Of course, the catch with the aforementioned contract situations is that when/ if each individual player returns, the Jags will have to pay them what they would’ve earned this year in 2021. Then again, in the case of Woods, the Jags may be able to recoup his salary if the 33-year-old decides to retire.

When looking in advanced to 2021, the Jags are in good shape cap wise. With their current rollover figure, they are set to have approximately $86,596,124, according to Over the Cap. That’s good for second in the league with only the Indianapolis Colts ahead of them with $113,210,580.

 

2 Broncos players opt out of 2020 NFL season

The NFL’s opt-out list has been finalized and the Broncos have two players on the list.

The NFL’s deadline for opting out of the 2020 season has passed and the Denver Broncos have two names on the 66-player list.

Defensive lineman Kyle Peko and right tackle Ja’Wuan James have decided not to play during the COVID-19 pandemic. Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller seriously considered opting out but has committed to play instead.

“The opt-out option is a player’s choice and a player’s right, and we’ll respect that if a player decides to do that,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said on July 28. “That’s absolutely, 100 percent their right, inherently. I’ve got no objection to that at all and would be supportive of that, if that’s what somebody wants to do.”

Peko was a longshot to make Denver’s 53-man roster. James was expected to start at right tackle. For now, Elijah Wilkinson is projected to start in James’ place. The Broncos might consider signing a free agent tackle or trading for an experienced option to replace James.

Denver currently has one player on the Reserve/COVID-19 list: tight end/fullback Andrew Beck. Beck has not opted out of the season — he will be eligible to return to the active roster once healthy.

USA TODAY has a complete list of all of the NFL opt outs on this page.

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Jags CB Rashaan Melvin opts out with deadline approaching

With the opt out deadline set for Thursday, 4 p.m. EST, the Jacksonville Jaguars were informed of another opt out. Veteran cornerback Rashaan Melvin will be sitting out the 2020 season due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. #Jaguars CB …

With the opt out deadline set for Thursday, 4 p.m. EST, the Jacksonville Jaguars were informed of another opt out. Veteran cornerback Rashaan Melvin will be sitting out the 2020 season due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Melvin, 30, was expected to compete for a starting cornerback spot by many due to having 40 career starts. However, his decision will now give Tre Herndon an easy path to be the Jags’ No. 2 cornerback alongside first-round pick C.J. Henderson.

Melvin had been a journeyman heading into 2020, making notable stops with the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, and Indianapolis Colts amongst notables. Had he decided to play in 2020, this season would’ve been his eighth and he would’ve entered his Jags tenure with 243 career tackles, three picks, and 41 pass breakups.

Although the group is young and inexperienced, the Jags had good numbers at the cornerback position and Melvin’s decision will also increase the chances for undrafted rookies Kobe Williams, Amari Henderson, or Luq Barcoo to get a roster spot.

Melvin is now the third player to opt out for the Jags. He joins veteran linebacker and defensive end Lerentee McCray and nose tackle Al Woods with his decision.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

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