We may have a signed deal by nightfall.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

One week ago, the NFL and NFL Players Association worked out an agreement on a revised Collective Bargaining Agreement that accommodates pro football in a pandemic. As of this moment, the formal paperwork still hasn’t been finalized.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the agreement will be signed “hopefully today.”

If that happens, the opt-out deadline will arrive next Friday, August 7. This means that all players have another full week, at a minimum, to make their irrevocable decision as to whether to play or to not play in 2020.

More players than most expected already have opted out. Whether and to what extent more do remains to be seen. For now, they have at least one full week to decide.

– – –

Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com looks at some of the ancillary Covid-19 issues:

As it draws closer to actual football practices, the NFL is still working to answer a central question of its coronavirus mitigation policy: Is there a practical and effective way to mimic a mask for players on the field?

The league’s first response, in conjunction with the NFL Players Association, was to partner with Oakley to create a mouth shield that would be attached to the helmet and presumably prevent the forward movement of droplets that contain the virus. The shields have been distributed to all 32 teams, and players will be given the option to test and provide feedback when they get on the field in August. But pushback from a number of prominent players — most notably Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt — has dampened enthusiasm for widespread adoption.

During an appearance Thursday on “The Dan Patrick Show,” NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills acknowledged another option: a gaiter-style neck pull-up that some players already wear during cold-weather games. Sills indicated that the league’s joint coronavirus task force is researching possible designs that could be used in warm-weather games as well.

How detailed are NFL teams’ IDER plans for training camp? What we learned from the Lions

“I’m looking at everything that makes us safer,” Sills said. “So I would certainly hope that we arrive at a design that offers protection and doesn’t hinder performance, and I think if we do that, it would certainly be something I would want to see everyone adopt. If we can hit that sweet spot, if we can find something that does offer protection and doesn’t hinder how guys breathe or communicate on the field, I would have to think the players would buy into that and want that.”

As it stands, there is expected to be some voluntary use of masks during practice and games. The league’s game-day protocol strongly recommends that coaches, staff members and non-participating players wear them on the sideline. Referees and other officials are likely to be in masks too, to be used in conjunction with electronic whistles.

But for now, the only people required to wear masks on the field on game day are the relative handful of non-football personnel who will have access to the field. So the fundamental paradox of playing football in a pandemic — minimizing virus spread among players in a game that does not allow for social distancing — might only be solved by voluntary adoption of technology designs that remain in development. Absent a visor or mask, the NFL will have to hope that the rest of its protocols, from daily or near-daily testing to strict limitations on in-person meetings during the practice week, will prevent infected people from getting onto the field in the first place.

Let’s consider a few other relevant topics in our weekly look at the NFL’s fight against the coronavirus.

Browns’ no-huddle sparks an idea

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Thursday that the team won’t huddle during training camp walk-throughs, a football version of social distancing. That tweak brought to mind a larger adjustment the XFL introduced during its 2020 season, and planned to enhance in future years, until the league filed for bankruptcy in April.

To speed the pace of the game, the XFL initiated a major expansion of wireless communication from a coach’s headset to a small speaker in players’ helmets. The NFL currently allows it for quarterbacks and defensive signal-callers. But the XFL also used it for some skill-position players and planned to implement it for linemen in 2021.

There is no need for a huddle, of course, if every player hears the playcall at the same time as the quarterback. Conservatively, a team could eliminate at least 100 instances of players gathering close together during each game.

There is no evidence that the NFL gave serious thought to expanding coach-to-player communication as part of its pandemic protocols. Historically, it has been slow to adopt technology on the field. Remember, it still prohibits teams from using their Microsoft Surface Pro tablets to view video on the sideline.

But there is a world of advantages to consider in such an expansion, even if it has to wait until a less chaotic time. According to Sam Schwartzstein, the XFL’s former director of football operations, the league was planning multichannel communications in 2021 that would have allowed position coaches to speak only to their players prior to the snap. The XFL also eliminated the cutoff point for communication to help improve the quality of play. (The NFL’s cutoff point is with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock.)

“You don’t need to make the game harder than it already is,” Schwartzstein said. “Coach-to-player communication is definitely the next step. We had just scratched the surface with it.”

Less roster churn?

For beat reporters, the first task of every NFL practice is to take attendance. Roster turnover is so high, both during training camp and the regular season, that often the first indication of a roster move is noticing a new number on the field.

In fact, according to research by Matt Willis of ESPN Stats & Information, NFL teams collectively signed or claimed on waivers an average of nearly 700 players during training camp or the preseason during the past five seasons. It slowed down during the regular season, with an average of about 800 over the 17 weeks.

In camp, coaches and general managers worry every day about ensuring the normal range of players at each position, in order to support practices that don’t overtax veterans and allow them ample time to recover from mild injuries. In the regular season, they use their practice squad for similar purposes.

It’s reasonable to wonder how much that approach will change this season, given the five-day intake process the NFL and NFLPA mandated in their coronavirus protocols. At the moment, any player a team signs or acquires must produce three negative tests in four days before he can enter the team facility on the fifth day — even if he has already done so for a previous team. That gap reduces the utility of bringing in a player for a potentially short-term stay in what Sills has called a “virtual football bubble.”

As Sills and others have said, the NFL’s protocols will continue to evolve and change. But for now, at least, NFL teams can’t be quite as agile as they usually are in (micro-) managing their rosters.

Collecting $150,000 could be tough

The NFL and NFLPA offered players a two-tiered opt-out plan. Those who fall into a predefined high-risk category would receive $350,000 if they chose not to play in 2020. Players who aren’t high risk but were uncomfortable with playing for other reasons would receive $150,000.

That $150,000 has several catches, however. For one, it is actually an advance on the player’s 2021 base salary. So if that player was due to make $1 million in 2021 base salary, he’ll actually receive $850,000 that year.

Here’s where it gets interesting: If that player is cut or otherwise doesn’t play in 2021 for non-pandemic reasons, he will in theory owe the team $150,000. But there really isn’t an effective way to collect what amounts to an unfulfilled salary advance from an inactive player, said Andrew Brandt, who negotiated contracts for the Green Bay Packers from 1999 to 2008. So unless the NFL and NFLPA adjust this rule, it seems unlikely that teams will recoup the advance if the player isn’t in the NFL next season, unless he voluntarily pays it.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

Add LB ANTHONY BARR to the Vikings list of Covid positives.  Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com:

The Vikings placed Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday.

All players on the list have either tested positive for the virus or come into contact with someone who is a known carrier.

Barr, who had 79 tackles and 1.5 sacks last season, is the eighth Vikings player to be placed on the list. Rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson and defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, who is in line to replace Everson Griffen this season, were also put on the COVID-19 list.

If a player tests positive for the coronavirus and displays symptoms, he has to go into at least a 10-day quarantine period before being able to return to the field, per league protocol. Teams are not required to disclose the reason players are on the reserve list for COVID-19.

Earlier this week, on the mandatory reporting date for veteran players, the Vikings lost their biggest free-agent acquisition for the season when defensive tackle Michael Pierce opted out of the 2020 season, citing respiratory concerns.

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

QB CARSON WENTZ is a more physical presence in Eagles camp.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Carson Wentz spent his time during quarantine getting buff.

The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback didn’t finish the season on the field once again after suffering a concussion following a hit to the back of the helmet during their playoff loss. But unlike in 2017 after an ACL tear, and in 2018 dealing with a fractured bone in his back, Wentz was able to focus on bulking up this year instead of rehabbing.

“The last couple of offseasons, I was dealing with injuries and trying to bounce back from injuries,” Wentz told reporters Thursday, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “This offseason, I was really able to get after it and work out a little harder in my gym and all those things. I haven’t gained anything insane weight-wise. But I have definitely gained some weight. I feel really good with where I’m at.”

Health has been the main issue for Wentz in his still-young career. When he’s on the field, he remains a difference-making quarterback who proved last year he could still perform even when injuries decimated the squad around him.

Besides adding some mass to help handle the hits, Wentz noted he hopes to improve on his fumbling after coughing up the pigskin 16 times last season — only New York Giants rookie Daniel Jones had more fumbles. Wentz also noted he wants to continue to get better in the red zone (where the Eagles finished third in TD percent last year) and on third downs.

“Red zone and third down, that’s something I’m going to focus on every year, whether we’re first in the league or last in the league,” he said. “Because I’ve realized over the first couple of years of my career that those downs make or break ball games.”

Wentz has several areas to improve his game. He finished 16th in pass success rate, per Next Gen Stats, at 48.9 percent (success rate is the percentage of pass plays resulting in a successful play based on the yards to go by down: 40%+ on first down, 50%+ on second down, conversion on third/fourth down). Drew Brees led all QBs in 2019 in that category with 57.2 percent. Having a healthy receiver corps would go a long way in Wentz improving in 2020.

Remaining healthy, however, is priority No. 1 for Wentz.

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

PK GRAHAM GANO is a goner per the Charlotte Observer:

The Carolina Panthers released veteran kicker Graham Gano on Thursday after eight seasons with the team. The starting job will now shift to second-year kicker Joey Slye, who started all of last year while Gano dealt with a left leg injury.

During his time in Carolina, Gano made 85.5% of field goals, a franchise record, and 95% of extra-point attempts.

After missing the last four games in 2018 with a left leg injury, Gano, 33, began to experience soreness in his plant leg during training camp last season and was placed on injured reserve in August 2019. He missed the entire season and had left knee surgery in October.

Panthers’ coach Matt Rhule said Wednesday that Gano looked healthy when he returned for training camp. He was among the injured players who reported to camp on July 23 and appeared to pass his physical.

“Graham (Gano) looks healthy, looks great, I obviously haven’t seen him kick, but I know that people are really pleased, the medical staff is pleased with how far he’s come,” Rhule said.

Gano had two years left on a four-year, $17 million contract he signed in 2018 that included $9 million guaranteed, per Spotrac. He was scheduled to make $2.75 million this season.

The Panthers will save money this season with the move, but will add $1.5 million in dead cap over the next two years. The team currently leads the league in dead cap money this year, now at about $42.7 million.

Joey Slye, 24, is currently the only kicker on the Panthers’ roster. He was awarded the starting job last year after he impressed coaches with his strong leg in the preseason and with Gano being placed on IR prior to the start of the regular season. Slye hit 25 of 32 field goal attempts, including 8 of 11 from 50-plus yards, as an undrafted rookie last season. He also missed four extra-point attempts.

NEW ORLEANS

Plenty of confidence in Saints camp as this from T TERRON ARMSTEAD and DE CAM JORDAN shows.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The New Orleans Saints might have the best roster, from top to bottom, in the NFL heading into 2020. Michael Thomas, Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, Emmanuel Sanders, a good O-line on offense; Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Marcus Davenport, Marshon Lattimore and a studly secondary on defense; uber-reliable specialists.

There are few holes on Sean Payton’s roster.

Left tackle Terron Armstead verbalized the Saints’ mindset at the start of training camp.

“It’s gotta be Super Bowl or bust in all honesty,” he said. “That’s it. It’s not really anything else past that. It’s Super Bowl or bust. We don’t get to the big dance, it’s a failure of a season. That’s it.”

This is the part of the post when you reply, “Duh, every player should be thinking that every year.”

This is the following part of the post where we point out that while the Saints have lived in that mentality the past several years, New Orleans has suffered brutal, brutal playoff losses.

Three years ago, Stefon Diggs pulled off the Minneapolis Miracle at the buzzer to send New Orleans home in the Divisional Round. The next season in the NFC Championship, an overtime loss to the L.A. Rams followed an infamous non-called pass interference that led to a rule change. Last year, another overtime loss came to the hands of the Vikings on Wild Card Weekend.

With a 41-year-old Drew Brees inching toward the end of his career, the window to get him that second Super Bowl ring is closing.

Jordan agreed with Armstead that the Saints should be a Super Bowl contender when asked if he ever considered opting out of this season due to COVID-19.

“Um. Nope,” Jordan replied when asked if he thought about sitting out the season, via John Hendrix of SaintsNews. “I feel our team is so close to a championship.”

And New Orleans has just added another veteran to the roster in LB NIGEL BRADHAM. Amie Just of NoLa.com:

The New Orleans Saints have reached an agreement with former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday evening.

Rosenhaus told Schefter that the deal will last for one year. Financial details are not yet known.

Bradham, a 9-year NFL veteran started in 12 games for the Eagles at middle linebacker last season, grabbing one interception, five pass breakups a fumble recovery touchdown, two tackles for loss and 61 tackles.

Bringing Bradham into the fold gives the Saints some veteran depth in their injury-riddled linebacking corps.

TAMPA BAY

Does RB LeSEAN McCOY have one more good year in the tank?  The Buccaneers hope so. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

LeSean McCoy’s NFL career isn’t over just yet.

McCoy, the veteran running back who was largely phased out of the Chiefs’ offense last season, will get another shot with the Buccaneers.

The Bucs and McCoy agreed to a one-year contract today, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed.

In his one and only season with the Chiefs last year, McCoy carried 101 times for 465 yards and four touchdowns and also added 28 catches for 181 yards and another touchdown. But most of that production came early in the season. In the postseason, McCoy never touched the ball.

Now the Bucs will see if McCoy has any gas left in the tank, and an offense that has already brought in Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski adds another veteran with a Pro Bowl pedigree

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

We have not posted all of Frank Schwab’s NFL previews at YahooSports.com as he counts his way to the top.   Here are his rankings so far:

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

31. Washington Football Team

30. Cincinnati Bengals

29. Carolina Panthers

28. New York Giants

27. Detroit Lions

26. New York Jets

25. Atlanta Falcons

24. Miami Dolphins

23. Las Vegas Raiders

22. Los Angeles Chargers

21. Houston Texans

20. Arizona Cardinals

19. Minnesota Vikings

18. Chicago Bears

17. Los Angeles Rams

16. Cleveland Browns

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

14. Denver Broncos

13. Indianapolis Colts

12. Philadelphia Eagles

11. Seattle Seahawks

10. Green Bay Packers

9. New England Patriots

8. Tennessee Titans

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6. Dallas Cowboys

5. Buffalo Bills

That leaves the Ravens, Chiefs, Saints and today’s subject – the 49ers at #4.

Nothing in the NFL stays the same.

The San Francisco 49ers came a play or so away from a dream season. In a perfect world they’d run it back this season with the same team. That’s impossible.

Receiver Emmanuel Sanders left to the New Orleans Saints. Left tackle Joe Staley retired. Defensive end DeForest Buckner was traded, as was running back Matt Breida. Playoff hero Raheem Mostert wanted a trade, though the 49ers worked it out. Receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a foot injury that will cost him time.

The New England Patriots’ continued dominance has given other NFL teams a false sense of hope. The Patriots are the outlier. For most teams, it’s hard to sustain anything. Rosters change. The rest of the league is competitive.

Of course, nobody thinks that they’re the team whose Super Bowl window will open and shut in one year.

“If you have the mentality of not being satisfied — you got to the Super Bowl, didn’t win it, where do you go from here,” 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said, according to the Mercury News. “It’s all a mentality.”

Niners tackle Mike Mike McGlinchey told the Mercury News a Super Bowl hangover is “not an option, because of who we are and the way we work.”

“I think our team is built the right way,” defensive lineman Arik Armstead told NFL Network. “Complete roster from top to bottom. We don’t just have a couple guys who we rely on on Sundays to make plays. Guys step up all over the field all the time. Offense, defense, special teams. So I think we’re really complete and I think we’re built for the long haul.”

Maybe that’s true. The 49ers were fantastic in 2019. Their run-first offense took off with a healthy Garoppolo for a full season. Kyle Shanahan proved he’s a top-tier coach. The defense, with the foundation of a talented line, was marvelous.

But if the 49ers are like most teams and don’t get right back to a Super Bowl, they’ll never live down “2-3 Jet Chip Wasp.” That was the play the Kansas City Chiefs used to turn around Super Bowl LIV. Tyreek Hill caught a 44-yard pass on a key third down. A 20-10 fourth-quarter lead quickly vanished. If the 49ers stop “2-3 Jet Chip Wasp” on third-and-15, at least they’d have a ring as they try to retool for the future.

It’s unfair to say the 49ers blew it. The Chiefs played well down the stretch. They made plays. In the social media era, we’d rather focus on the negative than give credit to players and teams that make the seemingly impossible happen. But it’s not like the 49ers can simply tip their caps to Patrick Mahomes and forget about it. The loss will motivate them, and if they don’t make it back what happened in those final few minutes in South Florida will become a burden.

On paper there’s no reason the 49ers can’t make it right back. They traded for Trent Williams to replace Staley. First-round picks Javon Kinlaw and Brandon Aiyuk can fill in for Buckner and Samuel. Stars like George Kittle, Nick Bosa and Richard Sherman are still in place.

Yet, everyone should know how the NFL works. The 49ers had a championship in their hands and the Chiefs took it away. Since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team to lose a Super Bowl and then come back and win it all the next season is the 2018 Patriots. It was a big challenge for the 49ers to make Super Bowl LIV. Making it back is a much different hill to climb.

OFFSEASON GRADE

The 49ers had to make a tough decision on DeForest Buckner. They didn’t feel they could keep Buckner and Arik Armstead, so they paid Armstead and traded Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round draft pick. They used that selection on defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw. Buckner is a tremendous player, but you can’t keep everyone. Trading for Trent Williams to replace retiring Joe Staley at left tackle was a sharp move. Receiver Emmanuel Sanders was always a short-term rental, but his departure to the Saints still creates a hole. First-round pick Brandon Aiyuk could help replace him. The 49ers had some significant changes this offseason but did a good job to reload on the fly.

GRADE: B

QUARTERBACK REPORT

Life as an NFL quarterback isn’t always fair. Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t on the field for “2-3 Jet Chip Wasp,” or Sammy Watkins beating Richard Sherman deep or any other Chiefs offensive plays that helped flip Super Bowl LIV. If the 49ers make one key stop, Garoppolo would be on top of the NFL world. We overrate quarterbacks when they’re on Super Bowl-winning teams and Garoppolo would be treated like a star had the 49ers finished. That didn’t happen, so Garoppolo will never hear the end of overthrowing Emmanuel Sanders, and instead of being treated as a top-tier quarterback there are questions if he’ll even be around with the 49ers in 2021. Garoppolo is probably never going to be a top-tier quarterback, but had he won a ring last season nobody would care to notice. Of all the 49ers, he lost the most during that Chiefs comeback.

STAT REPORT

When Pro Football Focus did its top 50 players for 2020 list, 49ers tight end George Kittle ranked fifth. To give you an idea of how lofty that is, the next players on the list are Michael Thomas, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, DeAndre Hopkins and Christian McCaffrey. It’s fine to disagree with PFF’s methodology, but we can all agree that Kittle is a fantastic player. He has back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including an NFL single-season record for a tight end in 2018. With Emmanuel Sanders gone, Deebo Samuel injured and the 49ers unlikely to have as many leads in 2020 (which would mean more passing attempts), Kittle could break his own season record for yardage this season.

BURNING QUESTION

How long can Richard Sherman keep it going?

Sherman isn’t the first success story among cornerbacks in their 30s, but it’s rare. Usually when cornerbacks reach 30 they slow down or start to think about a move to safety. Sherman was one of the best in the NFL last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Sherman gave up 27 catches for 227 yards and one touchdown all last season for a fantastic passer rating allowed of 46.8. Of all cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps, only J.C. Jackson of the New England Patriots and Tre’Davious White of the Buffalo Bills were better in passer rating allowed. Sherman’s huge season is even more impressive considering he tore his Achilles in 2017, a tough injury for cornerbacks to come back from. Now age 32, Sherman’s play could fall off soon. But there are no signs of that happening.

BEST CASE SCENARIO

Of course the 49ers can win a Super Bowl. We just saw them come a couple minutes from doing it. The 49ers can run the ball with their rotation of backs, the passing game with Jimmy Garoppolo is much better than most want to credit them for and the defense should still be among the best. It is rare for a team to lose a Super Bowl and get right back, but there’s no tangible reason the 49ers can’t do it. Their formula for success is sound.

WORST CASE SCENARIO

Maybe we’re underestimating the 49ers’ losses. Trent Williams has been a great player but hasn’t played since 2018. The 49ers are thin at receiver if Deebo Samuel doesn’t come back healthy or someone like Jalen Hurd or Brandon Aiyuk doesn’t emerge. DeForest Buckner is one of the NFL’s best defensive players and the 49ers are asking a rookie to replace him. The 49ers’ formula is good but roster changes might affect the chemistry. And the 49ers wouldn’t be the first team to lose a Super Bowl and fall a lot harder than anyone expects.

THE CRYSTAL BALL SAYS…

I like the 49ers. I also liked the 2016 Panthers, 2017 Falcons, 2018 Eagles, 2019 Rams … you get the picture. It is hard to get to a Super Bowl. Almost everything needs to go right — the 49ers were 1 yard and a phenomenal tackle by rookie Dre Greenlaw from being a wild-card team last season — and that usually doesn’t happen two straight years. Every San Francisco fan and football analyst can explain why it’s foolish to predict a big fall for the 49ers, yet it happens all the time. I’ll pick the 49ers to repeat in the NFC West and be a factor in the playoffs. And I will try to not be surprised if the 49ers take a big step back like so many non-Patriots Super Bowl participants have.

SEATTLE

He does not have a long term contract and he has a history of becoming dissatisfied, but S JAMAL ADAMS thinks he’s starting a long run in Seattle.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Jamal Adams is in Seattle but for how long?

The Seahawks traded for Adams, giving up two first-round picks (2021 and 2022), a 2021 third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald for Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick. They pulled the trigger without giving Adams a new contract, who is due to make $3.59 million in 2020 and $9.86 million in 2021, his option year.

But the Seahawks wouldn’t have given up what they gave up for Adams without planning to give him the long-term deal he wants.

That’s why Adams felt confident in saying, “The plan is to retire here. That is my plan. But those things handle themselves.”

Adams talked his way out of New York when the Seahawks gave the Jets an offer they couldn’t refuse. Adams wanted a long-term deal before the season from the Jets. He is willing to wait on the Seahawks’ time.

For now, Adams is happy and satisfied.

“I prayed on it,” Adams said in his first press conference as a Seahawk, via video from Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I prayed on it hard, and I asked God to place me where I needed to be, whether that was to go back to New York or whether that’s to be traded. This is my calling, man. I’m here to stay, and I’m excited to be a Seattle Seahawk. I’m really overwhelmed, but at the same time, man, it’s so surreal to be around a great organization like Seattle and to be coached by legendary coaches, Hall of Fame coaches, playing with Hall of Famers from Russ [Wilson] to Bobby [Wagner], K.J. [Wright], Bruce Irvin, Quandre Diggs, the list goes on and on. I’m just excited to be here. I’m here to help. I can’t wait to get out there in front of the 12s.”

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

RB DAMIEN WILLIAMS took advantage of the Covid opt out for another personal reason.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Chiefs running back Damien Williams says he decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season after his mom was diagnosed with cancer.

“I’m dealing with a family matter, my mom was just diagnosed with cancer and it’s Stage 4, so that was my decision,” Williams said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “With everything that’s going on, she was the only one there for me. I never had the opportunity to have my dad there. My mom is my rock, my everything, so during a hard time like this, I think I should be next to her every step.”

Williams said the decision wasn’t easy, but it was the right decision for him to put his full attention on his own health and his mom’s health during the pandemic.

“It was hard, I sat down and talked to everybody in my circle, my family and everybody close to me,” Williams said. “My mom was just like, whatever’s your decision, I’m behind you. It was hard. Football is my life and coming off a championship and wanting a repeat — and I know they’re going to handle that — but at the end of the day, it was something personal I had to handle.”

Players who opt out of the season receive an advance on their salaries and then will play the 2021 season under the terms of their contracts for 2020. For Williams, that means he’ll make $1.85 million in 2021, minus the amount of his 2020 stipend, and will then hit free agency in 2022.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com thinks the Ravens have big plans for WR DEVIN DUVERNEY who lasted until the 3^rd round:

Devin Duvernay wins a starting wide receiver job.

The rookie third-round pick was one of general manager Eric DeCosta’s favorite draft prospects because of his competitive streak. DeCosta compared him to Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason and Steve Smith Sr. Duvernay has a prime opportunity because the spot next to No. 1 wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is up for grabs. While it will be a challenge for a first-year player to beat out Willie Snead and Miles Boykin during this shortened offseason, Duvernay is a proven pass-catcher, leading the FBS in receptions (104) and receiving yards (1,382) from the slot in 2019. –

CLEVELAND

P JAMIE GILLEN has a lingering case of Wuhan Covid-19.

Browns punter Jamie Gillan is learning that even if you’re young and healthy, COVID-19 won’t necessarily go away quickly.

Gillan, who was placed on the Browns’ reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network that he tested positive early this month, thought the virus was out of his system, and then tested positive again this week.

“I thought I was just tired,” Gillam said of first feeling symptoms around the Fourth of July. “I went and punted and kicked. I had two days of symptoms where I was achy and had a fever. The third day I had no fever or symptoms. I found out July 9 I had it. I did approximately two weeks of quarantine from the ninth and then went back to living normally. I tested positive for antibodies [on Tuesday, July 28]. Then [Wednesday, July 29], somehow, I tested positive. I feel great as it’s been almost a month since I initially tested positive. Remember, we’re all in this together. Wear a mask.”

Gillan’s experience shows that players who get the virus, even if they feel OK, may have to miss significant playing time. Playing football in a pandemic will not be easy.

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE

EDGE YANNICK NGAKOUE is absent from Jags camp.  John Oehser of Jaguars.com:

It was the first day’s first and biggest news.

But in a sense, it was hardly news at all.

Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, as long has been expected, as of Thursday was the lone Jaguars player who has not arrived for 2020 Training Camp. Head Coach Doug Marrone made the news official by announcing it early Thursday afternoon during the first media availability of ’20 camp.

Marrone was asked if the team was at full strength.

“Yes, except for Yannick,” he said.

Marrone said he has not had conversations with Ngakoue recently.

“But like I’ve said before: He’s one player that I know is always ready,” he said.

Marrone, speaking from TIAA Bank Field on a video conference with local media, discussed multiple issues regarding ’20 camp. Notably, he also said no Jaguars player has spoken to him about opting out of the 2020 season, something permitted because of COVID-19 and something multiple NFL players this week announced they will do.

The NFL and NFL Players Association have yet to finalize the agreement that will allow opting out. Players reportedly will have seven days after finalization to opt out, after which they will not be able to reverse their decision.

“No one has talked to me, personally, about their thoughts on that – or considering that,” Marrone said. “That’s not to say that that can’t change. That could change over the next couple of days.”

All players except for Ngakoue either have reported to camp or reported for COVID-19 testing. As of Thursday afternoon, five players – right tackle Jawaan Taylor, offensive lineman Ryan Pope, cornerback Luq Barcoo, defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton and offensive lineman Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms – remain on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list, meaning they must clear testing protocol before being moved to the active roster. Cornerback Josiah Scott was moved from the list to the active roster Thursday.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

Some positive tests among Buffalo’s rookies.  Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com:

The Buffalo Bills sent their rookies home from the team’s facility Thursday as a response to five positive coronavirus tests this week, the team told ESPN in a statement.

Bills defensive backs Dane Jackson and Siran Neal were placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, with a league source telling ESPN that both players tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the team to decide to conduct the day’s meetings virtually.

Players also can be placed on the COVID-19 list if they came into contact with someone who is a known carrier.

“As we were informed by medical experts as training camp opened, we expected to have positive tests for COVID,” the team said in a statement to ESPN. “With 5 since the beginning of the testing period last Tuesday, we decided to take a disciplined, proactive and preventative approach to hopefully eliminate additional cases within our team.”

Under the NFL’s training camp mandate, players must register three negative tests in a five-day span to enter the facility. Although teams are not required to shut down their facility for a positive test, the Bills chose to minimize risk by sending players home for the day.

The Bills’ rookies first reported on July 21 to begin testing. The rookie who tested positive Thursday did so after registering three negative tests, a league source said.

According to league sources, Jackson and Neal are asymptomatic. Neal’s first test Tuesday also came back negative, while his test Wednesday was positive, a source said.

A player who tests positive can be tested again after five days if he remains asymptomatic during that span. Neal is isolating while he awaits the results of a third test, a source said.

MIAMI

Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com sees immediate impact from Miami’s rookie class, just not QB TUA TAGALOVIA.

There will be three Week 1 rookie starters, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa won’t be one.

This unique offseason will likely give advantages to veterans over rookies, but the Dolphins’ roster was slim on talent, particularly in the trenches, so first-round pick Austin Jackson (left tackle) and second-round pick Robert Hunt (right guard or tackle) are my picks to earn starting roles from the jump. Rookies Noah Igbinoghene (nickel cornerback), Raekwon Davis (defensive tackle) and Brandon Jones (safety) all can make a case to be Week 1 starters with a strong training camp, and the projection here is that at least one does. Tagovailoa is the most high-profile Dolphins rookie, but the presence of trusted veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and his familiarity with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey might put the team’s No. 5 pick on the bench to start the season. That isn’t a knock on Tagovailoa, either. He’s coming off a serious hip injury, and his little time with the coaching staff means patience is the best plan. –

NEW ENGLAND

RB SONY MICHEL is not healthy enough to practice.  Hayden Bird of the Boston Globe:

On Monday and Tuesday, six Patriots players reportedly decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The list includes prominent players like linebacker Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, and tackle Marcus Cannon.

Sony Michel’s status reportedly unclear: The Patriots are already heading towards training camp shorthanded, having lost several key players (including Tom Brady) in free agency. Then came the reports earlier this week that six Patriots players will opt out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, another Patriots player’s status is reported uncertain. Running back Sony Michel, a 2018 first-round draft pick, might not be ready for the start of team practices.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Michel had surgery in May and hasn’t been cleared to practice yet.

“Michel had foot surgery in May,” said Howe. “His status remains up in the air.”