2020 NFL Offseason Thread?

[thesloppy]

The Lions leading the league....in players on the covid list. Matt Stafford added today.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

The Lions leading the league....in players on the covid list. Matt Stafford added today.

Wow, the Lions usually wait until the season is halfway over before giving up.

[thesloppy]

Yeah, Golladay's on there too. I think they have 8 players on the list, a little less than 10% of the roster.

[Kodos]

They’ve been listening to CU Tiger!

[Danny]

There's no chance of a complete football season being completed on schedule

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Kodos

They’ve been listening to CU Tiger!

Huh?

[Kodos]

Just a herd immunity joke. I realize you weren’t personally advocating that the players try to get COVID-19 on purpose.

[Ksyrup]

And now Geronimo Allison just pulled the ripcord on his season.

I'll see myself out...

[tucker rocky]

Eagles HC has the Covid-19, but is asymptomatic.
The NFL, just like MLB needs to be parked.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by tucker rocky

Eagles HC has the Covid-19, but is asymptomatic.
The NFL, just like MLB needs to be parked.

I really want the NFL.

It may or may not happen.

And, if it does not, I want to watch the documentary later on why the League wasted months and months and months of prep time.

The timing of COVID was as good as possible for the NFL. And, from what I can tell, they just kind of did nothing and hoped that things would be normal in the Fall.

How do your run a multi-billion dollar business and not plan for something other than the best case scenario?

[Ksyrup]

We've run the entire country like that. Everyone took their foot off the pedal before/around Memorial Day. This sucks! It's summer! We're tired of sitting home! I want to vacation! We need sports! I want to eat out! And those are just a few of the non-political reasons.

Yes, they should have prepared for the worst, but in a normally functioning society/country, at worst FB could/should have been played under European soccer conditions by September.

It's also hard to see what MLB and NFL could do differently - they aren't near the finish line where they can have an end-of-season playoff run in a bubble, and they have way more players to deal with. Plan for reasonable restrictions and hope for the best was probably as practical a strategy as they could expect to implement. It feels like the only alternative was to give up on the season, which we know isn't happening (MLB might shut it down but they gave it a go).

[thesloppy]

"Gardner Minshew joins Matthew Stafford as second starting NFL QB to land on COVID-19 reserve list"

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

"Gardner Minshew joins Matthew Stafford as second starting NFL QB to land on COVID-19 reserve list"

Gardner does not strike me as a social distancer.

[stevew]

I figured Minshaw getting Covid was the most Minshaw thing he could do.

[molson]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Gardner does not strike me as a social distancer.

I think I got COVID just looking at that photo.

[thesloppy]

A couple more QBs get and these early adopters will looks like geniuses, while the rest of the teams suffer through the regular season.


....or they'll be dead. Cut me some slack, I'm a Lions fan desperate for any kind of positive take.

[thesloppy]

"The Lions activated quarterback Matthew Stafford from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, declaring his inclusion on the list a false-positive.

As a result of a False-Positive test result, he was forced due to NFL/NFLPA protocols to sit out until he received two negative tests,” the team said in a statement. “His testing sequence for the Pre-Entry period was: negative, negative, False-Positive. The next three tests were all negative. To be clear, Matthew does NOT have COVID-19 and never has had COVID-19 and the test in question was a False-Positive. Also, all of Matthew’s family have been tested and everyone is negative.”

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I just can't imagine how the hell the NFL is going to work looking at the MLB clusterfuck? The sports that have managed to pull it off so far (in the US) all seem to be using some version of a bubble model, and that doesn't even seem possible with the NFL.

Is anybody expecting a 'complete' NFL season at this point?

Forget the MLB, they're clearly ignorant. Take notes and especially learn from the NBA.

The massiveness of the rosters is the core to biggest issue, I think. Just players and coaches will be more than 3000 people already and that's after the normal roster cuts. I suppose larger than usual practice squads will be required to accommodate for possible injuries and COVID-19 cases.

Still, I can imagine a scenario where the NFL goes into 4 bubble locations, with 8 teams per location. They could play the interconference games first, then reserve week 5 to move 16 teams to one of the other locations and continue the regular season with conference games and divisional games without travel.
After the regular season move all teams to one location per conference for the playoffs (per conference) and use January to figure out what the best location for the Super Bowl would be.

They'll have to come up with a fair solution for the 2 games per team that are used to balance strength of schedule, but there's alternative ways for that. Heck, they might need to trim to 15 or 14 weeks, just to be able to have the bubble exchange weeks work, or have room for postponed games for whatever reasons.

All in all, the biggest issue would be that you'll need to be able to find 4 bubble locations that can host 750-1000 players and coaches, where 4 games per location per weekend can be played. Then come up with a way to safely move half the league in change weeks.

Perhaps the biggest issue is finding a way to have all those 3000-4000 football related people stay in the bubbles for 4 to 5 full months. You really can't allow for one player to go partying like Johnny Manziel in the outside world and as a result put the entire league in jeopardy. COVID-19 will show up in the bubbles at some point anyway, risk management and damage control is all you can do from there on.

[stevew]

You would think with so much at stake that they would have considered buying a few of these defunct colleges out there. Upgrading the field facilities probably isn’t super hard if you’re not accounting for fans. I mean you just bulldoze the field and drop in field turf. The Pats did this in 4-5 days the one year.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by stevew

I figured Minshaw getting Covid was the most Minshaw thing he could do.

He told the 'Rona to go away, so he's now cleared along with Stafford. Jaguars' Gardner Minshew: COVID-19 'ran the other way' from me

[RendeR]

Just cancel 2020, give the teams a year to get their bodies really healthy,allow them to work as teams in a bubble if necessary at their home locations.

Give us a spectacular 2021 season with 2 preseason and 17 regular season games, 2 byes and 14 teams in the playoffs.

all contracts for this year simply roll over to 21 and move forward as normal from there.

just end the bullshit and make this happen.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Just cancel 2020, give the teams a year to get their bodies really healthy,allow them to work as teams in a bubble if necessary at their home locations.

Give us a spectacular 2021 season with 2 preseason and 17 regular season games, 2 byes and 14 teams in the playoffs.

all contracts for this year simply roll over to 21 and move forward as normal from there.

just end the bullshit and make this happen.

and give up billions and billions....

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Just cancel 2020, give the teams a year to get their bodies really healthy,allow them to work as teams in a bubble if necessary at their home locations.

Give us a spectacular 2021 season with 2 preseason and 17 regular season games, 2 byes and 14 teams in the playoffs.

all contracts for this year simply roll over to 21 and move forward as normal from there.

just end the bullshit and make this happen.

Should the players be paid for this year?
Who covers their salary?

I know Brady ill be alright, but what about the reserve practice squad OG?
His mortgage is due.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Should the players be paid for this year?
Who covers their salary?

I know Brady ill be alright, but what about the reserve practice squad OG?
His mortgage is due.

Take it further, what about the office staff, some of whom would be made redundant without any season income?

The grounds staff, the equipment staff, all the guys that you might notice in Hard Knocks or All Or Nothing, but then melt into the background?

[Ksyrup]

Sports and schools both have this "too big to fail" thing going on right now where the short-term and long-term ripples of either of them not happening would be catastrophic, so we pretty much have to power through and make them happen or things get exponentially worse.

Which is why the lost last 3 months in this country has been so frustrating to watch, like a slow motion train wreck.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Lathum

and give up billions and billions....

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Should the players be paid for this year?
Who covers their salary?

I know Brady ill be alright, but what about the reserve practice squad OG?
His mortgage is due.

Lathum: What billions? The NFL will still sell merch, not as much, but some and there are no ticket incomes for the teams, there are no concessions money, the league will make jack shit this year if they play anyway. The NFL would lose out on the tv contract for a season, that would be the only major hit. The NFL can take that hit.

CU Tiger: The NFL has a reserve for emergency support of the teams and the league itself, the players would not be paid for this season specifically but there is more than enough in the NFL coffers to get players through a single season.

Worst case they pro rate the 2020 payroll over the next 24 months so that players have some income based on their contracts. its not that difficult.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Sports and schools both have this "too big to fail" thing going on right now where the short-term and long-term ripples of either of them not happening would be catastrophic, so we pretty much have to power through and make them happen or things get exponentially worse.

Which is why the lost last 3 months in this country has been so frustrating to watch, like a slow motion train wreck.

No, for fucks sake NO. There is nothing catastrophic about staying out of schools for a year. The children WILL get schooling at home and will grow up and they WILL be fine. The whole idea that it will permanently damage them in some way is idiotic at best and a right wing scare tactic at worst. Children are the most resilient creatures in existence, they will be just fine.

The NFL will survive a one season stand down. Its entertainment, it is NOT necessary and we all have to stop acting like it is.

[Ksyrup]

Eh, schooling from home is a waste. We've already done this. At best, online schooling is what we use for snow days so that we don't extend the school year into June and ruin vacations. Seriously. It's garbage. Both my kids said so - in high school and at college. They learn nothing and get no worthwhile instruction. It's learn on your own and cheat on homework and tests.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The NFL will survive a one season stand down. Its entertainment, it is NOT necessary and we all have to stop acting like it is.

I loathe the NFL, it's players, its ownership, it's utter & complete lack of character. But if they shut down over this horseshit, they're even nuttier than I previously thought.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Lathum: What billions? The NFL will still sell merch, not as much, but some and there are no ticket incomes for the teams, there are no concessions money, the league will make jack shit this year if they play anyway. The NFL would lose out on the tv contract for a season, that would be the only major hit. The NFL can take that hit.

If you think the owners are willing to give up the billions in TV revenue to protect players they already view as disposable commodities you are bat shit insane.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ex-Browns star Chip Banks in serious condition after Atlanta shooting

[stevew]

What’s Alex Smith doing? I can’t believe a doctor cleared him.

[bhlloy]

Nothing like risking life and limb in the middle of a global pandemic to be the backup on a terrible football team that doesn’t even have a name.

I mean you’ve got to admire his bravery and the comeback, but he’s made enough money in the sport. Walk away man.

[albionmoonlight]

Full padded practices start today.

Week one in less than a month.

[JPhillips]

In the video of his family's celebration he really struggles to come down one step.

[21C]

CFL cancels 2020 season amid COVID-19 pandemic

The CFL was planning to play a shortened season with all games in Winnipeg but couldn't secure government funding. Rather than losing more money, they decided to cancel the season.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by 21C

CFL cancels 2020 season amid COVID-19 pandemic

The CFL was planning to play a shortened season with all games in Winnipeg but couldn't secure government funding. Rather than losing more money, they decided to cancel the season.

Don't worry, Doug Flutie's Maxmimum Football 2020 is still set to release next month!

[Fidatelo]

Canceling the CFL season was always the right decision. Many of the players earn as much at their off-season jobs as they do playing. Would you quit your job in Florida to lock yourself inside a bubble in Winnipeg to play outdoors in the fall in an empty stadium for the same or less money in a shortened season amidst a pandemic (that incidentally is actually starting to kind of pop-off finally here in Manitoba)? Just silliness.

[Brian Swartz]

Maybe it's already been asked, but question that I thought off in one of the other threads. Hypothetically, I know it's unlikely but what happens if the next Superbowl is Brady's Bucs against New England.

If you are confirmed Patriots hater, who do you root for?

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Maybe it's already been asked, but question that I thought off in one of the other threads. Hypothetically, I know it's unlikely but what happens if the next Superbowl is Brady's Bucs against New England.

If you are confirmed Patriots hater, who do you root for?

Hmm. Not a Pats hater (actually respect their coaching & FO a ton), so take my answer with that in mind . . .

On the one hand, it would be great to see Bruce Arians win one.

On the other hand, having the Pats prove that it was the team and not the QB that won all those Super Bowls would be pretty cool, too.

I'd probably lean Pats b/c of the Cam Newton factor. 31 teams had a chance to grab him. One did and won a Super Bowl. That's kind of a neat part of it.

[cuervo72]

I AM a Pats hater, so the Bucs.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Maybe it's already been asked, but question that I thought off in one of the other threads. Hypothetically, I know it's unlikely but what happens if the next Superbowl is Brady's Bucs against New England.

If you are confirmed Patriots hater, who do you root for?

Conquest, on the White Horse

[JPhillips]

In that situation I'd root for Brady to be suspended and the Bucs to win with the back-up.

[spleen1015]

I really, really need the Bucs to go 2-14. Deep down in my soul. I NEED IT!

[spleen1015]

Ron Rivera told his team tonight that he had cancer. "Some were stunned. A bunch came up and wished me well. I said, 'I’m going to be a little more cranky, so don’t piss me off.' "

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 21, 2020

[Thomkal]

wow

[molson]

Nobody asked or cares, but as a Patriots fan, I am all-in on rooting for the Bucs too this year. Would love to see Brady and Gronk light it up.

[Ksyrup]

I'm not going to be rooting for or against either of them, and I'm sure most people will disagree, but I kinda want to see the Pats and Brady succeed without each other. But that probably has more to do with wanting to see great people do great things and largely divorcing myself from all of the pre/post-game TV shows and outrage radio BS.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

In that situation I'd root for Brady to be suspended and the Bucs to win with the back-up.

Good answer!

[molson]

Newton with an extra piece or two on offense plus that defense could have been very formidable. But I just don't think they can overcome the opt-outs and the lack of receivers.