COVID-19 - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins’ Albert Wilson Opts Out

August 5th, 2020 at 10:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are down another wide receiver. One day after Allen Hurns opted out of the 2020 season, teammate Albert Wilson has made the same call.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

“It was a very tough choice,” said Wilson in a statement (Twitter link). “I will stand by my teammates and brothers to support them 100% throughout the season and will be counting the days until I can join them again.”

Wilson joined the Dolphins on a three-year, $24MM deal in 2018. He got off to a good start with his new team, catching 26 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. Two of those touchdown grabs were from at least 70 yards out, and he even threw a 52-yard TD pass. Unfortunately, he was derailed by a serious hip injury in October of that year. He returned in 2019, but couldn’t reprise that performance – he finished out with 43 catches for just 351 yards in 13 games, averaging out to 8.2 yards per catch.

This year, Wilson agreed to drop his base salary to $3MM, plus $1MM in incentives. Now, that deal will be pushed into next year.

49ers’ Travis Benjamin Opts Out

August 5th, 2020 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

49ers wide receiver Travis Benjamin will opt out of the 2020 season. Benjamin joined the Niners on a one-year deal earlier this year, but he’ll have to wait until 2021 to make his SF debut.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

“First, I would like to thank the 49ers organization for their continued support,” Benjamin wrote in a statement. “After much consideration and discussion with my family I have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season as I feel this is the best decision for my family. I will continue to support my teammates and many friends around the league this season. As we continue to navigate this pandemic I wish that everyone stays safe.”

The defending NFC champs lost Emmanuel Sanders in free agency and picked up Benjamin to help soften the blow. Previously, Benjamin split his eight-year NFL career with the Browns and the Chargers. He missed most of the 2019 season and missed four games in 2018 – by the time he returns next year, he’ll have missed 31 games across three seasons.

The 49ers’ wide receiver group is led by Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, rookie Brandon Aiyuk, and slot receiver Trent Taylor. However, they’ll likely be without Samuel for a bit while he recovers from a foot fracture.

As of this writing, more than 55 players have opted out of the 2020 season, as shown in our tracker. Players have until 4pm ET/3pm CT today to make the call.

Bonus Proration For Opt-Outs Will Not Count Against 2020 Cap

August 4th, 2020 at 6:17pm CST by Rory Parks

An important development on the salary cap front. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports that signing bonus proration for players who opt out will not count against a team’s 2020 cap (Twitter link). Previously, it was believed that only unearned salary and bonuses would be removed from the cap.

So as Pelissero observes, teams with big-money players who opt out will have considerably more cap room to work with in 2020 than they thought. For instance, Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James announced yesterday that he will opt out of the 2020 season, and his $10MM salary was set to toll until 2021. But now, his $3MM signing bonus proration will also toll, leaving Denver with $13MM in additional cap space.

Of course, the Broncos will almost certainly want James back in 2021, just as the Jets will want C.J. Mosley back. And, since the 2021 salary cap is going to drop considerably, teams are unlikely to spend their newfound money and will simply look to roll it over into next season. That is especially true since we’re now in August and there are very few free agents worth signing to expensive deals.

Players have until 4pm ET/3pm CT on Thursday to opt out.

Lions Place Matthew Stafford, Kenny Golladay On Reserve/COVID-19 List

August 4th, 2020 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY: Good news for the Lions. Stafford has been removed from the COVID-19 list and has been placed back on the active roster, per a team statement. Apparently, the third test that he was required to take before entering team facilities resulted in what turned out to be a false positive, but his next three tests were all negative. Neither Stafford nor any members of his household have (or had) COVID-19.

AUGUST 1: The Lions placed Matthew Stafford on their reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. He joins Kenny Golladay, T.J. Hockenson and Justin Coleman on Detroit’s list.

Placement on this list does not mean these players tested positive for the coronavirus. The list also includes players who are quarantining because they came in contact with someone who has tested positive. Stafford will join Golladay, Hockenson and Coleman in being away from the bulk of Lions teammates for the time being.

Thus far, Stafford is the NFL’s highest-profile player to land on the COVID list. He is, however, believed to be asymptomatic at this time, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

Cornerback Amani Oruwariye, punter Arryn Siposs, safety Jalen Elliott and tight end Isaac Nauta are also on Detroit’s reserve/COVID list. Among the Lions’ group, as of Saturday, it is known Coleman tested positive, though NFL.com reported the veteran slot corner is asymptomatic.

If Stafford tested positive, he will be required to miss at least five days. This waiting period is only for asymptomatic players. Players who test positive and have symptoms for the virus must miss at least 10 days. That number is fluid; it depends on symptoms players experience. Players who land in either category must test negative twice before rejoining the team.

In this altered training camp format, practices do not begin until Aug. 12. Full practices do not start until Aug. 17, so the Lions have a bit of time for their group of starters to return. Teams begin their strength and conditioning-based acclimation periods Monday. Of course, this all depends on the players’ issues with the virus.

Dolphins’ Allen Hurns Opts Out

August 4th, 2020 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins wide receiver Allen Hurns announced that he will opt out of the 2020 season (Twitter link). Hurns is the first Dolphins player to make the call, but he’s far from the first NFL player to do so.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

Hurns joined the Dolphins last summer and quickly earned an extension. In November, the Dolphins inked him to a two-year, $8MM deal with $3.27MM in guaranteed cash. Hurns was set to build off of his 32 grabs for 416 yards and two touchdowns, but that’ll have to wait until next year.

The remainder of Hurns’ deal will toll, meaning that he’ll be under club control through the 2022 season. Meanwhile, the Dolphins will move forward with Preston Williams, Isaiah Ford, Jakeem Grant, Gary Jennings, and Mack Hollins vying for time behind DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson.

The decision deadline has been set for Thursday afternoon. Already, roughly 50 NFL players have decided against playing.

NFL Opt Out Window Closes On Thursday

August 4th, 2020 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

After weeks of back-and-forth, the side agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA has been executed. After the deal was signed, players were told that they’ll have until 4pm ET/3pm CT on Thursday to opt out (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

The two sides first agreed to terms on July 24th, but it took ten days for the lawyers to update the recently-signed CBA. The opt out deadline was supposed to be scheduled for seven days after the final execution of the deal. Now, they’ve got two days.

Already, upwards of 45 players have passed on the 2020 season. That number could grow even larger in the next couple of days – deadlines spur action, and many of the league’s linemen can be categorized as “high-risk” due to their body mass. Nearly every other position has been represented as well. C.J. Mosley, Dont’a Hightower, Nate Solder and Damien Williams are among the players who will skip the season. Free agent Pro Bowler Larry Warford also decided to sit out in 2020. The Patriots have been hit the hardest – eight of their players have opted out, including Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, right tackle Marcus Cannon, and wide receiver Marqise Lee.

With COVID-19 threatening the health and availability of players throughout the year, the two parties agreed to a special provision that will allow teams to activate a player off the practice squad up to 90 minutes before kickoff (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Meanwhile, any player who refuses a COVID-19 test will be fined $50K.

Broncos RT Ja’Wuan James Opts Out

August 3rd, 2020 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James announced that he will opt out of the 2020 season. In a message to his fans (Twitter link), James explained that he made the decision to protect the health of his wife and newborn son.

James joined the Broncos on a four-year, $51MM deal last year and lost the bulk of the season to injury. Now, he’ll pass on the 2020 season and have his $10MM base salary toll into 2021.

Upwards of 40 players have opted out of the 2020 season, as shown in PFR’s tracker. As expected, a number of lineman who could be classified as higher-risk have made the decision to stay home. The deadline for opt out decisions still remains TBD – the NFL wants to schedule Wednesday as the cut-off date, but the window could remain open longer.

James’ last full season came in 2018, with the Dolphins. In that year, Pro Football Focus measured the former first-round pick as a top-35 tackle last season. He’s been a starter since entering the league, but injuries have kept him out of action for extended periods – James missed eight games in 2017 and nine in 2015.

Eagles’ Doug Pederson Tests Positive For COVID-19

August 3rd, 2020 at 7:49am CST by Zachary Links

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson will spend some time away from the team after testing positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via Tim McManus of ESPN.com). In the interim, assistant head coach Duce Staley will assume HC duties at the team’s complex, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

Pederson, 52, has not experienced any symptoms, but he’ll quarantine to avoid spreading the virus, per the protocols. The league’s guidelines mandate multiple tests for Pederson before he can get back to work.

Person is the second head coach known to have contracted the coronavirus, following Sean Payton‘s positive test earlier this year. Payton’s recovery was relatively quick – he tested positive on March 16 and he was cleared before the end of the month.

“You fatigue real easy,” Payton said of his experience with the virus. “I’d be up moving around, doing something, then you’d want to lay down again. That lasted three or four days. By the time I got the test results back I had begun feeling better. I had my appetite back.”

Pederson is set to enter his fifth year as the Eagles’ head coach. Staley, a longtime Eagles running back, joined the team as an assistant in 2011 and worked his way up to AHC in 2018.

Lions Geronimo Allison Opts Out

August 2nd, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions wide receiver Geronimo Allison is opting out of the 2020 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As shown in PFR’s tracker, Allison is the second Lions player to exercise his right to skip the season, following defensive tackle John Atkins.

Allison joined the Lions in March on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. He showed promise with the Packers – particularly in the first quarter of 2018 when he recorded 19 catches for 289 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he was expected to take on a larger role. Instead, the 6’3″, 202-pound target struggled in the slot. He finished out with 34 catches for just 287 yards and two scores, despite playing in all 16 games.

With the Lions, he was expected to support Danny Amendola, Kenny Golladay, and Marvin Jones. Now, the Lions will need some outside help, especially since Golladay is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Placement on the list does not necessarily mean that Golladay tested positive for the coronavirus, but he may have come into contact someone who has tested positive. Either way, he won’t be able to return until he clears the league’s testing protocol.

The full rundown of the league’s 30+ opt out players can be found on PFR’s 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker.

Patriots’ Matt LaCosse Opts Out

August 2nd, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Matt LaCosse has decided not to play in 2020, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. With that, the tight end becomes the eighth Patriots player to opt out.

LaCosse was supposed to provide veteran help at the position while guiding Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene in their rookie seasons. Instead, the Pats are left with the third-rounders, plus Ryan Izzo and a handful of other options at tight end. LaCosse’s contract will toll into 2021, when he’ll be set to return and earn $1MM in base salary.

The Patriots are now heading into the season without inside linebacker Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, right tackle Marcus Cannon, and new wide receiver Marqise Lee. Running back Brandon Bolden, fullback Danny Vitale, offensive lineman Najee Toran, and LaCosse round out the eight opt-outs, and the list could grow larger from here. The official deadline is still TBD, but it’s at least a few days away.

After joining the Patriots last year, LaCosse recorded 13 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown. For his career, LaCosse has notched 40 grabs for 403 yards and two scores for the Pats, Giants, and Broncos.

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