In an effort to get players on board with the 2020 season, the NFL has proposed a plan that will allow players to opt out of the 2020 season for any COVID-19-related health concerns. The details of the proposal, as outlined by Mike Florio of PFT, seem to fall short of the NFLPA’s demands.
Players would be able to opt out of the 2020 season by providing written notice before August 1 at 5pm ET/4pm CT. Once the letter is in, the decision is final – players cannot reverse course before the (expected) start of the season in September. Those players will also be barred from negotiating with their teams, which safeguards against players using the special provision as a way to hold out for a better deal. Meanwhile, teams would be allowed to trade opt-out players.
Players who opt out would receive a $150K stipend for the year, minus any money already received this year. Effectively, any player who has received a substantial signing bonus or up-front payout would get nothing. The balance would also be subtracted from the player’s 2021 salary, so it would be more of a cash advance than a stipend. It’s not immediately clear whether players who are not under contract for 2021 would be eligible.
Unsurprisingly, opt out players would have their contract toll for a full year. In other words, those players would not earn an accredited year towards free agency. The NFLPA might not be happy about that, but it would have been a shock to see the league cave on that front.
One loophole that remains: The ability for players to use the provision as leverage between now and August 1. In order to keep that avenue open, the NFLPA would have to agree to terms sooner rather than later.
NFL is asking a lot.
You can be traded if you opt out
You don’t get paid if you opt out
And you don’t get to hit free agency if you opt out.
Union should counter with a new tag. Potential free agents who opt out can be slapped with a tag rounds 2nd-6th only and you can only use each round tag once. The team gets a draft pick if the player signs elsewhere. The new team receives no punishment.
I don’t think the union needs to do anything. The owners don’t seem to understand that Covid will likely force the season to be scrapped, making opt outs a moot point.
You still need a plan in the event a season does take place.
If it doesn’t that’s fine. But it’s better to have a plan instead of being caught flat footed trying to scrap together a plan to gain as much revenue as possible.
I’d say the NFL has already been caught flat footed and is trying to scrap together a plan to gain as much revenue as possible.
they get paid 150 k for the year and if they got that already this yr it would count. so they would get paid
I will not work for 150k
Straight from the article.
“Players who opt out would receive a $150K stipend for the year, minus any money already received this year. Effectively, any player who has received a substantial signing bonus or up-front payout would get nothing.”
Signing bonus, roster bonus, any money they’ve received if it exceeds $150k they get $0.