2020 NFL Off-Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

30 minutes ago, GoGo Yubari said:

Some people are talking about the Seahawks giving up two first-round draft picks as if it's a loss for them, which is a bold assumption that the Pete Carroll/John Schneider Seahawks would actually make a first-round pick that would ever make fans happy.

Yeah Seattle can do fine without first round picks. Especially because on the rare occasion they have them they tend to bungle them.

[Lineker]

 

[Maxx]

Trying the bold strategy of just not building a team around a rookie deal QB at all.  Darnold needs to bounce as soon as he possibly can.

[Meacon Keaton]

My stepdad was trying to call Darnold a bust. I reminded him that he’s actually younger than Joe Burrow. Dude was only 20 when he got drafted. 
 

Plus he’s on the Jets. Poor kid was doomed from the word go.

[DYSI]

The Jets will finally build a team around Darnold right around the time they'll have to pay him big money.

Should be interesting to see how this season plays out for them - but they did get back a solid haul.

[Maxx]

1 hour ago, Mr. Meacon Moneybags said:

My stepdad was trying to call Darnold a bust. I reminded him that he’s actually younger than Joe Burrow. Dude was only 20 when he got drafted. 
 

Plus he’s on the Jets. Poor kid was doomed from the word go.

Plus he’s on an Adam Gase coached Jets team.  How many of his draft picks did Dolphins has no issue ditching?

[RoHitman Reigns]

Giants released their kicker and are looking into veteran Chandler Catanzaro who previously was the Jets kicker

[Adam]

He was...not good with the Cardinals at the start of his career.

[Lineker]

He's now been signed. 

[The Buscher]

 

[The Buscher]

Seeing how MLB couldn't make it through one weekend without a team having a massive outbreak and it's a sport with much smaller rosters and minimal physical contact between players....there's no point in the NFL even trying to open up.

[Maxx]

NFL has all the time in the world to work out many different scenarios for returning and have seemingly done absolutely nothing. 

[gunnar hendershow]

NFL has decided that it's not going to say COVID is real so the President doesn't have to deal with not having football season happen during his re-election campaign.

[Lineker]

Quote

(CNN) - There will be no preseason games for the National Football League this year, according to an open letter published Monday by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The mandate comes as every aspect of sporting world has been affected by coronavirus. Earlier this year, the NFL had to hold its draft virtually to avoid the spread of the virus. The season is set to begin in September.

"The NFL in 2020 will not look like other years," Goodell wrote. "Players and coaches will be tested for the virus regularly, including every day for a while. Preseason games have been canceled."

Goodell wrote that late summer and early fall are usually "the most optimistic time of year for our fans, and for all 32 teams."

"In a year that has been extraordinarily difficult for our country and the world, we hope the energy of this moment will provide some much-needed optimism," Goodell wrote.

Along with a canceled preseason, players and team staff will have to follow rigorous health and safety protocols, Goodell said.

"When there is a positive test, strict regulations will be enforced to isolate and care for that individual and to contain the virus before it spreads," Goodell wrote, adding that state and local health guidelines will determine whether fans will attend games this season.

Sports have resumed in other parts of the world where coronavirus has been more successfully contained, including in Europe and Asia. But the United States is by far the world leader in coronavirus cases and has not yet restarted any team sports without seeing new cases.

In professional baseball, multiple players and coaches with the Miami Marlins tested positive for Covid-19. This led to the postponement of three games this week.

The WNBA tipped off its season Saturday at IMG Academy in Florida, the NBA is set to restart its season later this week in a bubble at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando and the NHL is planning to restart with dual bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton.

[The Buscher]

Dont'a Hightower opts out of the season

[gunnar hendershow]

Like 4 Patriots players have opted out. I think there will be more as we work through training camps, possibly more concetrated on teams that don't expect to compete.

[The Buscher]

Patrick Chung becomes the sixth Patriot and second Patriots defensive starter to opt out.

Almost wonder if Belichick regrets signing Cam, could've just stuck with Stidham and embraced the Tank for Trevor.

[DFF]

Wouldn't be surprised if Belichick is more than fine with this / actively encouraging it.  He can have a shithouse season that won't have any fans in the stands to boo them, grab a top draft pick and then smash his division again next season instead, haha. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Tough to say, turnover happens so fast in the NFL and his defense (and team) are on the older side. He obviously plans to reconstruct the team for a 4th time, only this time QB is uncertain. It'll be interesting to watch because he's extremely good at finding talent and getting the most out of them, he doesn't need a high draft pick for that. But what he does need is stability at QB. Obviously there's a full year to see if he can stick with Cam and if not maybe see where he is in the draft order.

But, yeah, the Pats reign atop their division is likely over. Tough call who takes the spot though, my bet would be the Bills. But you never know, Jets on paper are an 8-8 team even without Adams. Dolphins have an easy schedule and maybe Tua winds up great off the bat.

[The Buscher]

Bills DT Star Lotulelei has opted out.

I think it’s going to take a major star player, specifically at QB, opting out for the NFL to even think about putting a stop to things on their own.  Otherwise they’ll stubbornly plod along until a state blocks them.