COVID-19 News & Rumors

Texas Stadiums Permitted To Operate At 50% Capacity

June 4th, 2020 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said this week the state will enter a new phase in an attempted comeback from COVID-19. Texas’ professional and collegiate stadiums can operate at 50% capacity. This order is effective immediately.

This news comes despite Texas setting a new single-day state high for positive coronavirus tests earlier this week, according to the Dallas Morning News. But Texas was one of the first states to announce a reopening for sports.

While neither the Dallas Mavericks — who will head to Orlando to conclude the NBA season — nor IndyCar — which will start its 2020 season next week at Texas Motor Speedway with no fans — will take the state up on the loosened restrictions, this can be construed as a positive sign for the Cowboys and Texans. The PGA Tour will also not have fans in attendance at a Texas tournament next week.

The Cowboys and Texans being allowed to house a certain number of fans, however, would complicate the upcoming NFL-NFLPA negotiations. The NFL could enter the season with some states allowing fans in stadiums and others not, creating a key issue for the league and the union to negotiate.

Coaching Staffs Permitted To Return To Facilities

June 4th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

As expected, the NFL has issued a memo authorizing coaching staffs to return to their team’s facilities tomorrow, June 5, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Rapoport passes along the relevant portion of the memo in a separate tweet.

The league further noted that teams can have up to 100 people in their facilities at any one time (subject to state and local regulations, of course). As of right now, only players undergoing medical treatment are permitted in the facilities, as has been the case. However, the memo did note that the league will continue working with team medical staffs to implement testing for coaches and other club personnel prior to green-lighting the return of players.

Despite some earlier rumblings that the league would try to squeeze in a belated minicamp, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reiterates that the focus remains on getting coaches and players together for the scheduled start of training camp in July, not minicamp (Twitter link). Indeed, we have heard previously that some coaches would not take advantage of a minicamp even if one was authorized, and Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said his players will not be at team facilities before training camp (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

That may be the case for most teams. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), the NFL has left open the possibility of having players return on a limited basis later this month, but the union would have to agree to that, and it does not seem inclined to do so. In addition, multiple coaches tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they will remain away from facilities until training camp, in spite of today’s memo (Twitter link).

Still, this is a positive step towards the business-as-usual goal that the NFL has espoused all along. At this point, it appears as if only the 49ers‘ coaches will be unable to access their facilities tomorrow (Twitter link via Rapoport). Santa Clara County has been slower to lift restrictions than other Bay Area counties, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets, but the team is in communication with local authorities to obtain the necessary permission as soon as possible.

Latest On NFL Training Camp Schedule

June 3rd, 2020 at 6:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Most NFL teams should have the option of opening their facilities to players and coaches by the end of the week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter links). While there may be exceptions, the majority of teams should receive clearance to restart operations, although some clubs may choose to have staff stay home for the time being.

Meanwhile, the NFL is “optimistic” that training camps will be able to be held in full, per Fowler, but the league is also preparing alternatives. Still, Fowler has spoken with some team decision-makers that still believe training camp dates could be moved around or that the preseason could be shortened.

While many teams use outside venues for training camp, clubs will be required to stay at their home facilities in 2020. That rule is COVID-related, of course, as the NFL wants to limit travel and reduce the chance that infection is spread between two teams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. And as Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football notes (via Twitter), this rule almost surely means joint practices will not occur this offseason.

At this stage, it’s unclear if June minicamps will be feasible, but it seems unlikely. Indeed, Mike Sando of The Athletic has spoken to some coaches who would simply prefer to wait until training camp to get their teams back together (Twitter link).

NFL, NFLPA Bracing For Salary Cap Talks

June 2nd, 2020 at 5:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

As a COVID-19-altered season looms, the NFL and NFLPA are expected to engage in negotiations regarding future salary caps, Ian Rapoport, Judy Battista and Mike Garafolo report.

With the likelihood fans will either not be permitted to attend games or much smaller spectator counts will be on hand for them, revenue losses could be in the billions leaguewide. Negotiations were inevitable. But in addition to the prospect of the 2021 salary cap going down, marking the first such decline since 2011, the NFL.com report indicates the possibility of cuts this year exists.

A scenario of the league borrowing against future revenue to offset the major losses COVID-19 will cause this year was believed to be in play to prevent the 2021 cap from a steep decline from the current $198MM figure. But Battista, Rapoport and Garafolo note the league may suggest reducing players’ 2020 base salaries to help prevent a future in which the cap drops dramatically, thus impacting extensions and teams’ roster management. Extension talks are already being affected, NFL.com reports.

A full fan-less season would, according to NFL.com, cost the league more than $4 billion — nearly a third of the league’s revenue. Forbes has reported a $5.5 billion loss could occur under these circumstances. Without the NFL and NFLPA reaching a resolution to stabilize next year’s cap, it could be reduced by as much as $80MM, per NFL.com. Considering the commitments teams have already made to players beyond this year, that is almost certainly a non-starter. Adjustments will have to be made if a fan-less season is a reality.

Without the ability to reduce player salaries unilaterally, the NFL may have a tough time convincing players to accept 2020 salary cuts. This year’s salary cap is set, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes the NFL has no leverage on this front. Even in a season featuring a reduced number of games, the players would arguably receive their money, Florio adds. The league, however, may not consider a scenario in which players receive full paychecks for abbreviated seasons as tenable, per NFL.com. This will heighten the stakes for the upcoming negotiations.

These will be the sides’ third set of seminal negotiations this year. The league and the union finalized a CBA in March and hammered out a virtual offseason plan in April. The parties would need to discuss the fallout for scenarios like the season starting late, COVID-19 causing the season to stop and start again, and how to navigate a partial season without fans instead of a full fan-less slate.

These negotiations do not have to be finalized by training camp, though parts of them do in order to officially end the virtual offseason and ensure new safety guidelines for camps. The salary cap part of these talks could drag into the preseason, but NFL.com reports the hope is a resolution occurs before training camps begin. Both sides would like to avoid the quagmire Major League Baseball has encountered.

NFL: Teams Cannot Leave Facilities For Training Camp

June 2nd, 2020 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

No outside cities will be used for this year’s training camps. Shortly after reports indicated the Panthers are not heading to South Carolina for their training camp, the NFL has informed teams no training camps can occur outside team facilities, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Many teams already hold training camps at their facilities, but several still use outside sites for their late-summer work. This will alter the latter group’s plans. The coronavirus has already changed this offseason significantly. This marks a change to teams’ preseason routines.

The Cowboys and Panthers both leave their respective home states for camp, the former using Oxnard, Calif., and the latter holding camp in Spartanburg, S.C., since 1995. The now-Nevada-based Raiders were scheduled to hold one more camp in Napa, Calif., but had begun discussions to stay at their Henderson, Nev., headquarters.

The Chiefs have headed north to St. Joseph, Mo., for theirs for the past 10 years. The Bills (Rochester, N.Y.), Colts (Westfield, Ind.), Rams (Irvine, Calif.) and Redskins (Richmond, Va.) were also among the teams scheduled to leave their facilities for camp. The Steelers have held camp at St. Vincent College — in Latrobe, Pa. — for 54 years. None of these trips will take place this year.

While this means the three California teams will conduct camp in the state after all, it signals a key change as teams continue preparations for what could be a historically unusual season.

Thus far, the COVID-19 pandemic had not significantly impacted non-offseason activities. The schedule remains at 17 weeks, though Weeks 3-4 feature no division games in an effort to create a scenario in which the NFL could adjust its slate because of the virus, and many states have announced camps can occur on time. Tuesday’s announcement marks a major adjustment, with training camps being a key opportunity for fans to see their respective teams up-close and interact with players. COVID-19 will likely nix or severely alter fan-player interaction this year, preceding a season that is set to feature either no fans in stadiums or a limited number at games.

Panthers To Hold Training Camp At Team Facility

June 2nd, 2020 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers have trekked to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., for training camp every year since the franchise’s 1995 debut. The COVID-19 pandemic will force the team to break that tradition.

This year, the Panthers will hold their training camp at the team’s facility in Charlotte, Pete Yanity of WSPA reports. The Athletic’s Joe Person confirmed (via Twitter) the team will stay home for camp and added the NFL does not want teams leaving their facilities for camps this year.

While teams have opted over the years to avoid training camp trips, some teams still leave their facilities. And four teams’ camps are based in California, where no green light to conduct camps has been given as of yet. As such, the 49ers and Cowboys — who use Oxford, Calif., as their campsite — have discussed leaving the state for camp. The NFL may be against travel of this sort, pointing to California being open for business for camps come late July and the Cowboys staying in Texas rather than packing up for their annual late-summer trip.

Earlier this month, the Panthers had hoped they could keep camp at Wofford. Owner David Tepper said last year the team’s only two options for camp were Spartanburg and in its home facility. The latter option appears to be the course of action in this historically unusual offseason.

AFC North Notes: Colts, Mack, Ravens, Stanley, Humphrey

June 2nd, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

After his first season with more than 1,000 yards rushing, Marlon Mack isn’t assured the starting role in the Colts‘ backfield. Head coach Frank Reich says he’ll have a leg up on second-round pick Jonathan Taylor, but he also says that fans shouldn’t get too hung up on the RB1 designation.

“There’s definitely inherent respect for the starter returning,” Reich said (via Kevin Bowen of 105.7 The Fan). “I see it as a 1-1 (punch). The way the league has gone and the way role playing has been elevated in our league, it’s made it prominent. We used to say in San Diego that when we had Danny Woodhead. He was not our starter, he was our ‘role playing’ starter. He played such a significant role. He had 80 catches in a year. You look at a guy like Nyehim Hines. We talk about Marlon and Jonathan, but what about Nyheim? He’s such a good third-down back that he’ll play a prominent (role). In some ways, (Hines) is a starter. He’s a role-playing starter.”

Right now, it seems like Mack will have to prove himself all over in camp as he gets set for his final year under contract. As it stands, he’s set to make $2.13MM in base salary before reaching the open market in March of 2021.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

After turning in a stellar season, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley could become the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes. Currently, Bears edge rusher Khalil Mack ($23.5MM per year) leads the way, followed by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald ($22.5MM). This year, fellow left tackle Laremy Tunsil ($22MM/year) put himself in that neighborhood, but Stanley is likely to leapfrog him. In 2019, Stanley allowed Lamar Jackson to be pressured just six times, the lowest total of any offensive tackle in 14 years.
The Ravens have other deals on their agenda, of course, including a new contract for Marlon Humphrey. With all due respect for Stanley, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic argues that the cornerback should actually be priority No. 1. When it comes to Stanley, his comp has already been set, thanks to the Tunsil deal. Meanwhile, time is of the essence with Humphrey – the top of the CB market will be reset soon with Jalen Ramsey, Marshon Lattimore, and Tre’Davious White all due for new deals.
The Browns went ahead with their gradual re-opening plan with Phase 1 beginning on Monday (Twitter link). Meanwhile, other clubs are still working on alternative plans. The Raiders, who were set to hold camp in Napa, California, may shift to their new headquarters in Henderson, Nevada.

Raiders Considering Moving Training Camp

May 30th, 2020 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Raiders are set to debut in Las Vegas this season, they were scheduled to hold a final training camp at their Napa, Calif., camp home of the past 24 years. The COVID-19 pandemic may change those plans.

The team is seriously considering holding camp at its new Henderson, Nev., headquarters, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Both the 49ers and Cowboys have discussed relocating their training camps out of California. The Chargers and Rams are set to hold camps in their home state, but uncertainty remains on this front.

While New Jersey and New York have given the go-ahead for training camps to occur, California has yet to do so. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has given the Raiders the green light to hold camp in the state.

Despite several workers having tested positive for COVID-19, the Raiders’ stadium remains on track for completion by late July. A training camp in Nevada would simplify the franchise’s process of having its entire player roster, coaching staff and other essential personnel travel back to northern California at a time when travel presents near-unprecedented uncertainty. Raiders officials, per Bonsignore, have discussed the benefits of now staying in Nevada for camp. This may well be the direction the team is leaning.

CFL Exploring Partnership With U.S. Spring League

May 29th, 2020 at 7:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Canadian Football League hovers on the verge of a canceled season, but an unusual proposition has surfaced that would potentially open the door to the CFL playing games in 2020.

Brian Woods, CEO of an American-based developmental league known as The Spring League, reached out to CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie about a partnership to form a 14-team alliance that would hold games during fall weekdays, according to Dan Ralph of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Ambrosie asked Woods for a proposal to take to the CFL’s board of governors, Ralph adds.

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to cancel the CFL season. Ambrosie said recently September is a best-case scenario for the league starting what would be an abbreviated season. He asked the Canadian government for financial assistance, per Ralph.

It does not appear CFL teams would play full 18-game schedules if a partnership with The Spring League happens, but the league combining with an American developmental league would be one of the more interesting developments in recent football memory. The Spring League is seeking to align with the CFL this year to play games Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays this September, Ralph reports.

In operation since 2017, The Spring League consists of four teams — which would be upped to five to match up with the CFL’s nine — that plays a handful of games per year in March and April. The CFL has previously signed players who have played in The Spring League, which has also seen the likes of Johnny Manziel, Ahmad Bradshaw, Zach Mettenberger and Greg Hardy suit up since its inception. The league has already played games this year — in Las Vegas — and defeated the Japanese national team in an exhibition game held in March in Frisco, Texas.

Additionally, a CFL-Spring League union would be open to college players — should the coronavirus impact the 2020 college season. The games would take place in the United States. Memphis, Birmingham, San Antonio, Atlanta, Dallas, and Nashville are on the list for potential host cities, Ralph notes. Interestingly, this plan would use both American and Canadian football rules, depending on the teams involved in certain games.

NFL Eyeing Coaches’ Return To Facilities

May 28th, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Roger Goodell announced Thursday that the NFL’s virtual offseason will be extended for two weeks. But the league opened the door to the next phase in this historically unusual offseason.

The 14th-year commissioner expects coaches to be able to return to facilities next week. Currently, no coaches are allowed at team headquarters due to a competitive balance rule brought on by states’ disparate COVID-19 restrictions.

“We expect that next week clubs will be permitted to include members of their coaching staffs among the employees permitted to resume work in the club facility,” Goodell said in a memo, via NFL.com. “We are actively working with governors and other state and local authorities in those stats that have not yet announced definitive plans and will confirm the precise date on which coaches can return to the facility as soon as possible.”

No plans have been made for players to return to facilities. Only players rehabbing injuries are allowed at team sites. NFLPA president J.C. Tretter revealed earlier this week no date exists for players to return. The NFL and NFLPA have been discussing the subject, however. Although in-person minicamps have not been ruled out, the expectation remains players will not be back until training camps open.

The NFL, however, gave the go-ahead for certain team personnel — at the executive level — to return to facilities starting last week. Soon, coaches could be instructing players virtually from team buildings. That would represent a positive step as the league continues to aim for a full-scale return in time for the 2020 season.

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