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Bills’ E.J. Gaines Opts Out Of 2020 Season

August 2nd, 2020 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

E.J. Gaines has opted out of the 2020 season, according to Bills GM Brandon Beane (Twitter link via Kim Jones of NFL.com). Gaines was set to play on his third Buffalo contract after rejoining the team in March. Now, the cornerback will have to wait until 2021 to make his return.

[RELATED: Bills Host DB Akeem King On Visit]

Gaines first hooked on with the Bills in 2017 and showed serious promise. He finished out as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 12 ranked cornerback and placed ninth in Football Outsiders’ success rate, despite being limited to just eleven games. He moved on to the Bills and, once again, he was bitten by the injury bug, seeing time in just six games in 2018. Gaines went back to Buffalo in 2019, only to reach an injury settlement with the team in August. Gaines has been in the league since 2014, but he’s appeared in just 43 games across four seasons.

This year, the 28-year-old was set to backstop Josh Norman and Tre’Davious White. Now, the Bills could use another CB, hence their recent meeting with former Seahawks defensive back Akeem King.

Upwards of 30 players have chosen to opt out of the 2020 season, as shown in PFR’s tracker. Meanwhile, the deadline date remains TBD.

NFL To Move Up Opt-Out Deadline?

August 1st, 2020 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL has still not finalized a deadline for players to opt out for 2020. However, the sides may be moving in a direction that will force players to make a decision quickly.

While the league and the NFLPA were believed to be on track to have a revised CBA done by Friday, nothing is finalized as of Saturday afternoon. Players are on track to have a week following this agreement to decide on opting out. They may not have that long, though, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeting the deadline is now expected to be Tuesday or Wednesday.

This is an interesting development; it would move the deadline up by at least three days. This would apply more pressure on players to make major decisions. Instead of having that week from the latest agreement to decide, they will only have a few days to determine if they will play during the COVID-19-impacted season.

Thus far, 37 players have opted out. 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 he will not sign with a team this year. If the deadline is moved up, a flood of action could take place in the next few days.

Unlike Major League Baseball, which just saw Brewers star center fielder Lorenzo Cain opt out a week into the season, the NFL will force its players to decide on playing in 2020 before full practices take place. Teams are set to begin their strength and conditioning-based acclimation periods Monday. Practices are not slated to begin until Aug. 12, with full practices not on tap until the 16th.

Patriots’ Marqise Lee To Opt Out

August 1st, 2020 at 9:06am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots wide receiver Marqise Lee will opt out of the 2020 season, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). Lee is now the seventh Pats player to make this decision, leaving lots of holes to fill in New England. 

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

“We just feel like it wasn’t smart for us to go out and play this year,” said Lee, who became a first-time father earlier this year.

Lee joined the Patriots in April on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. The 28-year-old (29 in November) was expected to support a wide receiver group led by Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, and N’Keal Harry. It was a low-risk and potentially high-reward pickup for the Patriots. Lee totaled 1,551 receiving yards between 2016-17 as the Jaguars’ top receiver. He parlayed that performance into a four-year, $38MM deal, but he was derailed by a knee injury in 2018, plus ankle and shoulder trouble last year.

The April signing of Lee allowed the Patriots to focus on other positions in the draft. They went defense with their first three picks before snagging two tight ends (Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene) in the third round. They didn’t use any of their choices on wide receiver, and that’s good news for their incumbents. Damiere Byrd, special teams ace Matthew Slater, Jakobi Meyers, Gunner Olszewski, and Quincy Adeboyejo are among those jostling for roster spots and WR snaps.

Here’s the full rundown of the Patriots’ opt out list, via PFR’s tracker:

Jaguars’ Al Woods Opts Out

July 31st, 2020 at 11:51am CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars defensive tackle Al Woods has opted out of playing in 2020, per an announcement released from the team. Woods had at least another week to make the call, but he didn’t need time to think it over. 

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

“While I was excited to join the Jaguars, I have made the tough decision, given the current status of COVID-19, to opt out for the 2020 season,” Woods said. “The health and safety of my family has always been the most important thing in my life. I love the game of football and will be rooting hard for my teammates this season, and I look forward to re-joining the Jaguars in 2021.”

Woods joined the Jaguars on a one-year, $1.5MM deal earlier this offseason. His contract will toll, meaning that he’ll play under the same terms in 2021.

Woods, 33, is coming off of one of his best seasons ever. In his tenth pro season, he appeared in 14 games for the Seahawks (including five starts) and played the second-most defensive snaps (450) of his NFL tenure. He was especially sharp against the run – Pro Football Focus ranked him 12th among interior defenders in run defense grade.

NFL Hopes To Finalize Opt Out Agreement Today

July 31st, 2020 at 9:39am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s opt out deadline could be set by the end of the business day. The NFL and its players hope to execute the necessary revisions to the collective bargaining agreement this afternoon, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. If everything is signed, sealed, and delivered, players will have until next Friday, August 7, to make their decision.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

Per the agreement, players can choose to skip the 2020 season with written (and irrevocable) notice. The due date was set for seven days after final execution of the CBA revision. In other words, it’s all dependent on how fast the lawyers can move.

Already, upwards of 30 NFL players have decided to sit out, and there could be dozens more on the way. The Patriots – who lost six players including Dont’a Hightower, Marcus Cannon, and Patrick Chung – have the most holes to fill of any team. Other notables to opt out include Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Giants tackle Nate Solder, and Eagles wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Guice, Giants

July 29th, 2020 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson for a while. They placed their Pro Bowl right tackle on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Teams are not permitted to disclose whether a player tested positive or if he was placed on the list for other reasons, but Johnson tweets he did indeed test positive for COVID-19. The eighth-year right tackle will be on the shelf for a bit because of the roster designation. The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. Players must pass three coronavirus tests to return to action. Fellow tackle Jordan Mailata and linebacker Nathan Gerry also landed on Philadelphia’s reserve/COVID list.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Ahead of what could be a make-or-break season, Washington running back Derrius Guice is healthy again. The third-year player tweeted that he has been fully cleared for participation in football activities. Guice missed all of 2018 with an ACL tear and encountered multiple bouts of knee trouble last season as well. The former second-round pick has played in five of a possible 32 regular-season games and now will attempt to carve out a role for a new Washington regime.
  • Although rookies have come in at slot deals since 2011, the Eagles sweetened their second-round quarterback’s deal a bit. Jalen Hurts‘ four-year, $6.02MM rookie contract includes a $75K workout bonus in 2022 and a $100K workout bump in 2023, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Broncos included workout bonuses in 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock‘s contract.
  • The Giants and Leonard Williams were not close on a long-term deal, and an NFL executive believes Big Blue overpaid the sixth-year defensive lineman on the $16.1MM franchise tag, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Williams has an interesting trait of almost sacking quarterbacks, ranking 12th in QB hits (101) since 2015 but 84th in sacks in that span. As a result of the pricey tag, which makes Williams the Giants’ highest-paid player this season, an agent told Raanan that the team raised Williams’ asking price. Despite registering a half-sack in 15 games last season, Williams sought an $18-$20MM-per-year deal.
  • Ten-year veteran defensive lineman Ziggy Hood is moving into the coaching ranks. The former defensive tackle will be a Washington coaching intern this season, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Hood, 33, played in Washington from 2016-18.

NFL Players Have Until Tuesday, Or Later, To Opt Out

July 28th, 2020 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The deadline for players to opt out of the 2020 season will fall no earlier than Tuesday, Aug. 4, multiple sources tell Mike Florio of PFT. The deadline could also fall later, depending on how fast the NFL and the NFLPA complete their paperwork.

[RELATED: 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker]

The NFL and the NFLPA verbally agreed to the opt out provision, but they have yet to fully execute the side agreement. Per their deal, the deadline will fall seven days after everything is formally signed. If the deal is executed today, the deadline will be set for next Tuesday. If execution occurs on Wednesday, the deadline will be next Wednesday, Aug. 5 (and so on).

Upwards of 25 players have opted out, with many of those players making the call earlier today. Once the decision is submitted in writing, it is final and irrevocable, so other players on the fence may choose to wait a few more days.

Among the more notable opt outs: linebacker Dont’a Hightower (Patriots), safety Patrick Chung (Patriots), tackle Marcus Cannon (Patriots), guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Chiefs), guard Larry Warford (free agent), nose tackle Michael Pierce (Vikings), defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (Bills), and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (Bears).

Vikings’ Michael Pierce Opts Out

July 28th, 2020 at 11:47am CST by Zachary Links

Vikings nose tackle Michael Pierce is opting out of the 2020 season, according to Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). the Vikings signed Pierce in March to shore up their defensive front – without him, they’re left thin on the interior with weeks to go before the start of the season.

Pierce inked a three-year, $27MM deal to help replace Linval Joseph, following his departure to the Chargers. The 6-foot, 340-pound defensive lineman was slated to start, but he’ll sit out the year after assessing the risk. Pierce has a history of respiratory trouble, meaning that the coronavirus could put him in serious jeopardy.

In 2019, with the Ravens, Pierce logged 35 tackles (two for loss) in 14 starts. Previous to that, Pierce graded as one of the top interior defenders in football in 2017 and ’18, per Pro Football Focus, before dipping to a middle-of-the-pack spot in his contract year.

Pierce is just the latest NFL notable to opt out of the upcoming season. The full and ever-growing list can be found here, on PFR’s 2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker.

Bills’ Star Lotulelei Opts Out

July 28th, 2020 at 10:56am CST by Zachary Links

The hits just keep on coming. Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei will opt out of the 2020 season, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Lotulelei has been in the Bills’ starting lineup for each of the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been high on the veteran, but he was set to return as a first-stringer in 2020. In 2019, Lotulelei was on the field for 516 snaps and recorded two sacks from the interior.

The former Panthers first-round pick may be swapped out for another ex-Panther. Vernon Butler, who joined the club earlier this year, could be the next man up. There’s also former Seahawks lineman Quinton Jefferson on hand – one of those two players may wind up as Ed Oliver‘s partner in the middle.

Upwards of 20 NFL players have opted out of the 2020 season, as of this writing. The Patriots have arguably been hit the hardest, with six opt outs including linebacker Dont’a Hightower, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, and safety Patrick Chung.

Bears’ Eddie Goldman Opts Out

July 28th, 2020 at 10:01am CST by Zachary Links

Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman will opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 health concerns (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Goldman’s decision leaves the Bears with a major void to fill up front, with just over a month to go before the scheduled start of the season.

[RELATED: Patriots’ Hightower Opts Out Of 2020 Season]

Goldman was set to continue on the four-year, $42MM+ extension he signed in the fall of 2018. Now, his $4.75MM in guaranteed salary will toll into 2021 and his full contract will run through 2023.

Last year, Goldman suited up for 15 games, notching 29 tackles and a sack. As a big man in the middle, his true value isn’t really captured by the traditional stats. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus framed him as the 35th best interior defender in the league out of 118 qualified players, thanks in part to his work against the run. For Goldman, that was actually a down year, and he’s provided steady pressure against quarterbacks over the last two seasons.

The opt outs are piling up quickly, and there are surely more on the way. NFL players have until Friday to formally make the call.

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