NFL - NEWS & NOTES

The NFL is still planning to start its season on time, with all 32 teams playing in their own stadiums. But Dr. Anthony Fauci is skeptical that’s going to work.

Fauci, one of the leading figures in the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, told Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN that he thinks the NFL may need a “bubble” — like the NBA is planning with the entire league relocating to Orlando — if it’s going to make this season work.

“Unless players are essentially in a bubble – insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day – it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci said. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.”

Fauci’s comments serve as a stern warning to the NFL, that while its plan is to play a season as usual, it had better have a good backup plan.

per; NBC

 

Wow what a mess this is turning out to be

 

NFL’s chief medical officer on Dr. Fauci’s latest comments: “We will be flexible and adaptable”

Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that it will be difficult for the NFL to play in 2020 without implementing an NBA-style “bubble” approach. The NFL, through its chief medical officer, has responded.

“Dr. Fauci has identified the important health and safety issues we and the NFL Players Association, together with our joint medical advisors, are addressing to mitigate the health risk to players, coaches, and other essential personnel,” Dr. Allen Sills said, via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. “We are developing a comprehensive and rapid-result testing program and rigorous protocols that call for a shared responsibility from everyone inside our football ecosystem. This is based on the collective guidance of public health officials, including the White House tase force, the CDC, infectious disease experts, and other sports leagues.

“Make no mistake, this is no easy task. We will make adjustments as necessary to meet the public health environment as we prepare to play the 2020 season as scheduled with increased protocols and safety measures for all players, personnel, and attendees. We will be flexible and adaptable in this environment to adjust to the virus as needed.”

Most notably, Dr. Sills does not rule out a “bubble” concept. Instead, his statement implies that everything is on the table, including a “bubble” approach, as ridiculously difficult as that would be.

The other reality is that the NFLPA will need to agree to most of the safety protocols — and that the NFLPA made it clear to players last week that it has not agreed to the initial protocols. At some point, anything other than quick, efficient communication and conciliation will make it hard to get things done.

NBC

 

49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has been working out with teammates like Jimmy Garoppolo in Nashville recently, but it looks like he won’t be able to join the team on the field when they get to training camp.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Samuel broke his foot during Tuesday’s workout session. He is set to have surgery on Thursday with Dr. Robert Anderson.

Per the report, Samuel suffered a Jones fracture and is expected to recover in 12-16 weeks. That timeline stretches into the early weeks of the regular season, so it would seem likely that Samuel won’t be on the field when the defending NFC champs host the Cardinals in Week One.

Samuel caught 57 passes for 802 yards, ran 14 times for 159 yards and scored six overall touchdowns during the 2019 regular season. He had 10 catches for 127 yards and six carries for 102 yards in the postseason.

NBC

 

Jamal Adams and the Jets appear to be headed for a divorce.

Adams has asked the Jets for a trade and wants the team to give him permission to shop himself around to other teams, according to multiple reports.

The sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Adams is heading into the fourth year of his rookie contract, and he has made no secret of the fact that he thinks he’s due a major pay raise. The Jets, however, appear content to make him play out his rookie deal, which would keep him for a cap hit of $7.1 million this year and then $9.9 million on his fifth-year option next year.

Adams has been chosen to the Pro Bowl each of the last two years and is, at age 24, one of the top young defensive players in football. He would certainly return a lot in a trade, but it remains to be seen whether the Jets will go along with Adams’ request.

NBC

 

In a perfect world, the Carolina Panthers would limit Christian McCaffrey’s touches and win tons of games. In a more realistic world, they have to put the ball in the hands of their best player pretty frequently in hopes of winning the most amount of games. Their new offensive coordinator seems to recognize that
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Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady was asked in a conference call with reporters on Thursday about managing McCaffrey’s workload. While he acknowledged McCaffrey had tons of touches last year, he said the versatile running back can handle it.

“But if there’s one person that can take it — one person that takes care of his body — that’s Christian McCaffrey,” Brady said via the Charlotte Observer. “I can’t sit here and tell you guys the number (of touches) is 400 (in 2020); the number is 350. Every single game will be different. A lot of it will come down to the rest of the personnel on our team.”

That sounds a lot like a guy who is not making it a priority to limit McCaffrey’s touches by any means necessary. New Panthers head coach Matt Rhule may wish to harness McCaffrey’s workload, but he and Brady will have to balance that with the even greater desire to win.

McCaffrey had 1,387 yards rushing and 1,005 yards receiving with 19 total touchdowns last season.

Yardbarker
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He's the Work Horse of the NFL... hands down.

 

The NFL now is saying that they aren’t dismissing the bubble approach. They better not, because that’s most likely the way the games will be played this season.

 

I know we're all hanging onto optimism here, but let's be real:

The NFL has NEVER handled anything well. From kneeling, to domestic abuse, to drug testing, to diversity, to rule changes, to officiating implementation, to... I mean, anything. Goodell and the owners mismanage everything, and are always just rescued by the money / power position they have.

So, now that they're up against a worldwide pandemic that's derailed the economy of multiple countries, we're expecting them to figure it out?

This is going to go poorly. They're going to blow it, just as we should expect. And with no vaccine coming until next year, they're not going to get bailed out.

But, I'll go back to being optimistic. Just wanted to remind everyone not to hang onto every little quote or update from the league. That's like asking Helen Keller for directions.

 

I’ve been saying since the draft that the only way to play any sports this year is to put the players in a bubble and keep them from social contacts. If they don’t the virus will ruin any season for sports

 

Ty Montgomery has played running back. He has played receiver. He has played special teams.

The Saints, who signed Montgomery this offseason, list him at running back. But they are not going to assign him one position.

“I see a Swiss Army knife,” Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas said, via Amie Just of NOLA.com. “The worst thing we could do right here today is, is sit there and pigeonhole and say, ‘Hey, you’re going to be put in this position, and that’s it.'”

Montgomery has gained 1,035 yards rushing and 982 yards receiving in five seasons in the league with the Packers, Ravens and Jets.

He recently tweeted, “My ‘lack of stats’ is no indication of my ability.”

The Saints agree.

Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael said the vision for Montgomery is to use him in a positionless role much like they do with Taysom Hill.

“When you look back at it, he has only been a running back for five seasons, so that’s where I see the piece of putty we can hopefully mold into what we want him to be within our offense,” Thomas said.

NBC

 

I've been trying to keep a positive attitude toward this season. But each day I look at the news and the numbers keep going up. Texas, Arizona, and Florida are getting pounded right now. And those are the home states for 6 NFL teams. And like dline said. When is the last time the owners did anything right ?? It's not looking good and we're running out of time.

 

AP Source: Jets agree to terms with 2nd-round pick WR Mims

The New York Jets have agreed to terms with Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims, their second-round draft pick in April, a person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not announce the move.

Mims fits a major need for a Jets offense that lost its top wideout, Robby Anderson, to Carolina in free agency. Chosen 59th overall, he’ll get a four-year deal worth about $5.5 million.

The New York Daily News first reported the Mims agreement.

New York has signed only one other of its nine 2020 draftees, fifth-round cornerback Bryce Hall of Virginia.

Mims will join a receiving group that includes free agent addition Breshad Perriman and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. Mims comes off a strong 2019 season with 66 catches for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns.

AP

 

49ers wide receiver Richie James Jr. breaks right wrist

San Francisco 49ers receiver Richie James Jr. has broken his right wrist during offseason workouts and won’t be ready to return to the field until after the start of training camp.

The 49ers confirmed a report of the injury by NFL Network on Friday and said they will have a better idea of how long James will be sidelined after he reports to training camp next month. NFL Network said James is expected to miss at least two months.

James is the second receiver lost to injury this week for the defending NFC champion 49ers. No. 1 wideout Deebo Samuel underwent surgery Thursday to repair a fracture in his left foot suffered during informal player workouts in Tennessee. Samuel said he expects to be back in 10 weeks, meaning his will miss the start of training camp but should be healthy for the season opener Sept. 13.

AP

 

NFL remains highly optimistic that season will happen, less optimistic fans will be in stands

In early May, we reported that there is an “extremely small” chance there will be no NFL football in 2020. Recent events, culminating this afternoon in a recommendation from the NFL Players Association that players stop practicing together, have sent us back to our sources for an updated assessment.

And there’s good news, even if the news regarding the prospects for football amid a pandemic has felt like anything but good. The NFL remains highly optimistic that the 2020 season will happen.

Less optimism exists that fans will be present for any of the games, however. The temptation to swing the doors open and allow risks to be assumed and reduce capacity where needed with staggered arrivals and departures quite possibly will yield to political and public-heath considerations that could make it more prudent to pass on playing with fans.

While the losses arising from a season without fans would be significant, they would not be staggering. The bulk of the NFL’s money comes from televising games, and this year the games as televised likely would generate higher ratings than ever before.

The optimism comes in large part from the league’s understanding as to how the virus is most commonly spread. Confined spaces, where droplets can hang in the air and invade eyes and noses pose far more problems than open spaces. That’s how the league navigates the potentially awkward juxtaposition of players keeping their distance inside a facility or a locker room and a dog pile of up to 22 bodies in the middle of a football field.

As one source suggested regarding the rash of positive tests among the Clemson football team, the exposure most likely happened in a weight room, where the air is thick and the athletes are breathing heavily as they exert themselves. The droplets have nowhere to go, and then end up going into the mucus membranes of other people. The NFL’s intended protocol will prevent congregations of players in the weight room, or in any other confined space.

The NFL believes its players will comply with rules aimed at keeping them from getting the virus, and that transmission on a practice field or during a game will be minimal. The league still recognizes that it will happen, but it believes that the situation can be managed both by quickly quarantining players who test positive and by having sufficient replacements ready to go.

The league also remains very confident, based on the research conducted to date, that players will not be susceptible to a bad outcome, if they catch the virus. The biggest concern will be players who have undergone chemotherapy, like Steelers running back James Conner. For other players — even those who are morbidly obese or have high blood pressure or are diabetic (whether they know it or not) — the league believes that the players will, for the most part, have little or no adverse consequences (if they even develop any symptoms) because of their age.

For coaches, it’s a different story. Older men who may have had cancer or who have diabetes or high blood pressure will be facing a more significant risk. Some won’t care, even if they should. Others may want to sit the year out, or work remotely (if possible) for 2020.

The league also remains confident that rapid-response saliva-based testing will be available before the season begins. Millions of dollars will be spent on testing, and the league is trying to come up with the most practical procedures for testing frequency. Some believe it must happen every day; the research may allow testing to occur less often than that.

Regardless, even if it currently feels like pro football may return until a vaccine is developed, the NFL continues to believe that the season will happen, even if no fans are present for games.

That’s an encouraging message, despite a stream of recent news items that could make many wonder whether the league will be able to pull it off. The league continues to believe that it will, even if no fans will be present to witness the games.

NBC

 

Football with no fans in the stands it will be very strange

 

Kareem Hunt‘s grateful to have a chance to help the Browns this season, after his offseason traffic stop during which he told a cop he wouldn’t pass a drug test.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hunt said Monday he was “lucky and blessed” to still be part of the team.

Even though Hunt wasn’t charged with anything after stop, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Hunt’s actions were “not acceptable.” He was suspended the first eight games of last season for a pair of physical altercations, including one with a woman.

He’s recently talked about being willing to fill whatever role the Browns have in mind, since Nick Chubb gives them a very good backfield option. But they signed Hunt to the second-round restricted free agent tender of $3.27 million this season, and he hopes to pay them back for that loyalty.

“I think we can do something special here,” Hunt said. “Nothing would be better than that.”

During his traffic stop in January, he expressed dismay that if not for his previous issues, he’d have been playing in the Super Bowl. Now, he’s happy to have a job at all.

NBC

 

Despite “humanly impossible” protocol, John Harbaugh confident season will happen



Ravens coach John Harbaugh raised eyebrows this month when he called complying with the NFL’s coronavirus protocols “humanly impossible.” But Harbaugh still thinks the league can start the season on time.

Harbaugh said today that even though he doesn’t think football and social distancing are compatible, he does think the league can start the 2020 season on time.

“I’m confident that it will happen,” Harbaugh said, via the Baltimore Sun. “I’m very hopeful. I’m praying for it. I want it to happen and I think it will happen, I believe it will happen. I think we’ll have the protocols in place.”

Harbaugh acknowledged that he doesn’t really know what’s going to happen, but he believes the NFL is committed to making it work.

“Nobody knows what’s going to happen in the next six months. No human being knows that, so we’ll just have to be very adaptable and flexible and smart about what we do. And that’s what we’re going to try to do,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh is right: Nobody knows what’s going to happen. And depending on how much the virus spreads across America over the next two months, Harbaugh’s confidence may prove to be either correct, or completely misplaced.

NBC

 

John Harbaugh disagrees with Lamar Jackson's take on playoff loss

Lamar Jackson believes the Baltimore Ravens took the Tennessee Titans too lightly in their postseason loss. Coach John Harbaugh respectfully disagrees with that assessment.

Harbaugh told reporters Monday that he's comfortable with the 2019 NFL MVP voicing his opinion on the matter, but objects to the premise.

"I don't think we took them lightly personally. We just didn't play well," Harbaugh said, via NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.

The Ravens had won 12 straight games to close the 2019 regular season at 14-2. After a playoff bye week, Baltimore was blitzed by the Titians, losing 28-12. Jackson was stymied for much of the early stages of the game, committed three turnovers and was sacked four times.

The differing opinion on the game's preparation highlights the viewpoint from a player and coach. Neither belief changes the fact that a potential Super Bowl season went out the window with the laid egg.

Harbaugh also declined to get into his conversation with Jackson about a video that surfaced last week of the quarterback playing beach football, which included the MVP flipping over a jet ski.

"That's between me and him," Harbaugh said.

NFL.com

 

Breshad Perriman thinks Jets offense can be dangerous



One of the goals for the Jets this offseason was to improve an offense that finished 31st in points and 32nd in yards last year.

They focused on offensive line and wide receiver additions to reach that goal. They signed a handful of linemen to help keep quarterback Sam Darnold upright, added Breshad Perriman to fill the hole left by wideout Robby Anderson‘s decision to sign with the Panthers before moving on to draft tackle Mekhi Becton and wide receiver Denzel Mims in the first two rounds.

It remains to be seen how everything comes together on the field, but the offseason work has left Perriman with a lot of optimism.

“I think we can be really dangerous, and I feel like that’s everybody’s expectations coming into it,” Perriman said, via the team’s website.

Perriman has been able to get some work in with Darnold this spring and that should help their relationship get off on the right foot, but the Jets are going to have to fit a lot of pieces together in a short period of time if they’re going to be dangerous to other teams this time around.

NBC

 

The Detroit Lions have a new owner.

The team announced Tuesday that Martha Firestone Ford, who took over after William Clay Ford Sr. died in 2014, has stepped down as the principal owner of the team. Sheila Ford Hamp will succeed her mother as the club's principal owner and chairman.

"It has been a great honor for our family to be associated with the Lions and with the National Football League," Firestone Ford wrote in a statement. "I am gratified that this family tradition, which my husband and I began almost six decades ago, will continue under Sheila's guiding hand. It is clear to me that Sheila will provide superb leadership and is fully committed to competitive excellence and community involvement."

Shelia Ford Hamp has been groomed to take over the ownership role from her mother and was appointed to the NFL's Super Bowl and Major Events advisory committee last year.

"My mother has inspired all of us since taking on leadership of the Lions over six years ago," Ford Hamp said in a statement. "She has been a tireless leader to our family, our team and our community. Her smart decisions have given me a solid foundation to take the team forward. On behalf of the family and the team, I want to thank her for her countless contributions. I look forward to leading the Lions to excellence on and off the field."

William Clay Ford Sr. purchased the Lions in 1963. Upon his death in 2014, Firestone Ford, 94, took over the team. Tuesday's decision to hand the keys to the franchise to Shelia Ford Hamp ensures the Ford family will continue to drive Detroit's club into the future.

"Martha Ford has led the Lions with skill and grace for the past six seasons," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "I have appreciated her business insights, her love of the game, her deep commitment to the NFL, and her personal kindness. We are pleased that the Ford family will continue to own and operate this historic franchise. Sheila Hamp has become increasingly involved in team and league affairs over the past several years and we look forward to working with her and the rest of the club's executive team."

The team's announcement in December that it expected coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn to win-or-else in 2020 included a statement from both Firestone Ford and Ford Hamp. The dual statement indicated a transition at the top could be coming down the line, and it also ensures continued pressure on Detroit's brass to win with a new owner taking over.

NFL.com