The bad news is that NFLPA president J.C. TRETTER finds reason for discord with the NFL.  Paulina Dedaj of FoxNews.com:

Disagreements between the NFL and the players union went public Tuesday when NFLPA president JC Tretter wrote a blog post criticizing the league for prioritizing the preseason schedule and training camp over “player safety.”

Tretter revealed that the NFL had previously agreed to suggestions made by the joint ocmmittee of doctors to take certain precautionary measures, like no joint practices and no fans at training camp, to ensure that players would be able to play out the full season but the league was “unwilling to follow the … recommendation of a 48-day training camp schedule,” which would mean no preseason.

 “Despite these experts’ assessment that teams face a serious risk of player-injury spikes this year (based on past NFL data and recent findings from sports leagues that have already returned to play this year), the NFL is unwilling to prioritize player safety and believes that the virus will bend to football,” Tretter wrote.

The union’s board of player representatives voted last week to ask the NFL to cancel the entire preseason schedule after the league reportedly agreed to cutting the schedule from four games to two and push back the start of exhibition play so teams have more time to train.

“The NFL has recently stated it wants to play two preseason games,” Tretter confirmed.

“When we asked for a medical reason to play games that don’t count in the standings during an ongoing pandemic, the NFL failed to provide one. The league did provide a football reason, though — to evaluate rosters. The NFL also stated that it was important to stage preseason games to check how our game protocols will work.”

He continued: “We will continue to hold the NFL accountable and demand that the league use data, science and the recommendations of its own medical experts to make decisions. It has been clear for months that we need to find a way to fit football inside the world of coronavirus. Making decisions outside that lens is both dangerous and irresponsible.”

– – –

The good news is that two elite AFC teams are planning on at least having some fans in their stadiums.

The Chiefs from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

In two months and two days, the Chiefs will launch the defense of their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. If fans are present, the stadium will not be full.

The Chiefs announced on Wednesday that they will “move forward with a reduced-capacity plan” in 2020. Team president Mark Donovan explained in a statement that the approach will adhere to “local guidelines and expert recommendations.”

As a result of the decision, the team will issue refunds for all single-game ticket purchases for 2020. As to season-ticket holders, their payments for 2020 will be retained, and they will be able to purchase via the accrued credit single-game tickets for seats available under the new configuration. Season-ticket holders may alternatively choose to receive a full refund for 2020, opting out of the ability to purchase any 2020 game tickets while retaining their rights and tenure for 2021.

The Chiefs have not specified the number of tickets that will available. The team said it is “likely” that the initial wave of single-game ticket sales will apply only to the preseason (if there is one) and the “first few games” of the regular season.

“As the season progresses, the club will follow the guidance of local officials and public health experts, with the goal being that local regulations will allow for an increased capacity later in the season,” the team explained in a statement. “Any change that increases capacity throughout the season would provide more fans the ability to purchase single-game tickets in more areas.”

This isn’t a guarantee that any fans will be present for the first few games of the regular season. But it likely means that, whatever happens between now and October, there won’t be a full stadium in Kansas City in the early weeks of the 2020 season.

John Breech of CBSSports.com:

Over the past few weeks, teams around the NFL have been trying to figure out what their stadium capacity should be for the upcoming season, and if the Baltimore Ravens are any indication, it’s starting to look like NFL stadiums are going to be mostly empty this year. The Ravens announced on Wednesday that the capacity at M&T Bank Stadium will be set to just 14,000, which is an 81.3% cut from the stadium’s normal capacity of roughly 71,000.

There’s also a chance that fans won’t be allowed to attend any Ravens games at all, but that decision hasn’t been made yet. Before making a final decision on whether or not fans will be allowed to attend games, team president Dick Cass said that the Ravens will monitor protocols being developed by health experts, governmental officials and the NFL.

“To offer a proper level of safety for fans who want to attend games, a reduction in capacity is necessary,” Cass said. “We are disappointed that this will be a disruption for many ticket buyers, but we have an obligation to our fans and our community to keep M&T Bank Stadium as safe as possible.”

The Steelers say they will require masks for their fans, presumably freshly purchased in team colors, for any fans they might allow to watch them.

Negativity prevailed on the other hand in the Ivy League, where all fall sports were canceled on Wednesday.

– – –

There will be a date that players either opt in or opt out – with the ramifications of opting out still to be determined.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Among the questions lingering in the air amid the COVID-19 pandemic is the potential for players opting out of participating in 2020.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday on NFL NOW that the league and union anticipate player opt-outs would be available, but would need to be communicated by a certain date.

“My understanding is both the union and the league intend to have an opt-out for players who have either a pre-existing condition, family (members) with pre-existing conditions, just general concerns over COVID-19, would not want to play this season,” Pelissero said. “General managers were told on a call earlier this week there would be a specific date by which players would need to opt-out. That date is still to be determined.”

We’ve seen players in the MLB and NBA opt to sit out as their respective sports return to play. It’s unclear how many NFL players would consider sitting an entire season. Several veterans, including the McCourty twins in New England and Stefon Diggs in Buffalo, recently have voiced concerns about playing amid the pandemic.

With any potential opt-outs comes the question of how that would affect a player’s contract.

Pelissero reported that possible tolling of contracts of players who opt out is still to be determined and is something that would need to be agreed to prior to the start of training camp.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

With the deadline a week away, Todd Archer of ESPN.com takes a look at the state of negotiations with QB DAK PRESCOTT:

Perhaps mercifully, a determination on Dak Prescott’s contractual fate with the Dallas Cowboys will be known in a week.

Talks between the Cowboys and Prescott’s agent, Todd France, began in the spring of 2019. The club initially hoped a deal could be consummated before training camp, then during training camp, then at the start of the season, but it never happened.

Unable to get a contract worked out before free agency, the Cowboys put the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott, knowing that July 15 is the deadline to sign him to a long-term deal.

NFL training camp nuggets: Stats, facts and what you need to know for all 32 teams

The negotiations have generated a lot of public debate. Do the Cowboys really believe Prescott is their guy? Why won’t owner and GM Jerry Jones just pay the man? Does Prescott really think he should be the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback, even after the 10-year extension worth up to $503 million Patrick Mahomes agreed to Monday with the Kansas City Chiefs?

By next week, there will be some answers. Either Prescott and the Cowboys will have their contract agreement or the quarterback will play the upcoming season on the franchise tag.

For perhaps the final time, here are some answers to some key questions regarding Prescott’s situation:

Where do negotiations stand?

It seems the sides have not had any substantive talks since March. Perhaps the coronavirus pandemic played into that because there was not the traditional offseason program. Prescott did not miss any on-field work even if he was not a part of all the virtual meetings.

Before the Mahomes news, sources said the Cowboys’ offer would make Prescott the second-highest-paid quarterback in terms of average per year to Seattle’s Russell Wilson, who makes $35 million a season. That offer includes a guarantee that is on par with the $110 million the Los Angeles Rams gave Jared Goff. What is unknown are the details of the Cowboys’ offer, such as how much is guaranteed at the time of signing and how much is guaranteed for injury and cash flow.

Is the deal’s length a concern?

Yes. The Cowboys would like a five-year deal; Prescott would like four years. The reasons are pretty obvious. If the Cowboys are going to make such a commitment, they would like it to be for as long as possible so they are not back at the negotiating table any sooner than necessary. Prescott would like a shorter term so he can hit the open market again when the new television money is expected to kick in. That might be a bit trickier now considering the pandemic, but live sports has been a cash cow.

Truthfully, it probably doesn’t all that much. The Cowboys likely would do a 10-year deal with Prescott, but if he won’t do a five-year deal, why would he do a longer deal if the guaranteed money does not go up appreciably?

Quarterbacks are judged on wins and stats. Mahomes has both. His first two years as Kansas City’s starter are off the charts. He has taken the Chiefs to an AFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl win in his first two seasons. Prescott has one playoff win and has missed the postseason twice in his first four seasons.

Depending on how you want to read the Mahomes deal, it’s a max of $50.3 million per season, $45 million per season based on new money or $39.75 million when looking at it as a 12-year deal. You know which way France will view it and which way the Cowboys will view it.

What happens if the sides do not reach an agreement?

Prescott has to play the season on the $31.4 million tag and the sides cannot discuss a long-term deal until 2021. Essentially, this might kick the can down the road for a year before the sides get into the same prolonged dance again. The only good news is we wouldn’t have to hear and read incessant reports about negotiations until next offseason.

Now that he has signed the tender, he is under contract and would face prohibitive fines if he does not report to camp. For those who believe Prescott would hold out, he played last season for $2 million, why wouldn’t he play for $31.4 million this season?

If he had not signed the tender, he would not have faced any fines for skipping training camp and preseason games (however those look starting later this month). He could have shown up the week before the season opener against the Rams.

By signing the tender, the Cowboys and Prescott will avoid the fiasco the Pittsburgh Steelers and Le’Veon Bell went through in 2018.

Can the Cowboys use the tag on Prescott in 2021?

Yes, and it would cost them roughly $38 million, a 120% increase over what he makes in 2020. Washington used the franchise tag on Kirk Cousins two years in a row in 2016 and ’17, but never made him an offer as substantial as the one the Cowboys have made to Prescott.

If the Cowboys wanted to use the franchise tag on Prescott for a third year, it would cost more than $54 million.

Have the Cowboys gotten to this point with a franchise-tagged player before?

Yes, but not a quarterback. They were able to sign Troy Aikman and Tony Romo to long-term deals before either could have come close to testing the market. In the years between Aikman and Romo, they did not have a quarterback they wanted to keep long term.

In 2015, the Cowboys put the tag on receiver Dez Bryant. He spent only a handful of days around the team in the offseason because he did not sign the tender. Eventually, the Cowboys and Bryant agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal, but it nearly did not happen.

After the sides agreed, the Cowboys needed Bryant to sign the contract before sending it to the league office. It wasn’t until about 10 minutes before the deadline that Bryant made it to Valley Ranch to put pen to paper.

Grant Gordon confirms that the big issue seems to be the length of the contract, that Prescott is not ready to commit to the Cowboys as Mahomes did:

As of Wednesday, Prescott and the Cowboys are a week away from the deadline to sign an extension and Dallas has an offer on the table, but it’s longer than the standout quarterback wants, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.

It’s not in the realm of the 10-year pact that Patrick Mahomes signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, but it is lengthier than Prescott desires, Pelissero clarified.

– – –

Turning 27 before the month is done, Prescott is due to make $31.4 million this season on the tag. Of the eight quarterbacks who have been franchise tagged in NFL history, only two have played the ensuing season on the tag — Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins — and each of them eventually signed with a new team, per NFL Research.

For now, though, there’s still a week for Prescott and the Cowboys to work out a long-term stay and as Pelissero said, this “always seemed destined to go down to wire.”

In an age where most players want a long term commitment from a team that they don’t get, Prescott is the exception.

PHILADELPHIA

WR DeSEAN JACKSON puts some knucklehead anti-Semitic stuff on his social media.  The Eagles, and most others, are appalled.  CBSSports.com:

Hours after posting an apparent Adolf Hitler quote on his Instagram, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has suggested the message he shared was taken “the wrong way,” saying he has “no hatred in my heard toward (anyone).”

As ESPN reported, Jackson posted two different pictures — one on Saturday, and another on Monday — with positive remarks about Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader, as well as pictures on his story feed of a quote he attributed to Hitler, in which “white Jews” are accused of trying to “blackmail America.”

“(They) will extort America,” the quote read, “(and) their plan for world domination won’t work if the Negroes know who they were.”

Farrakhan has been identified as anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center, with the latter noting that Farrakhan served as the top minister for the Nation of Islam, a “deeply racist” system “consistently rejected by mainstream Muslims.”

Jackson re-posted the apparent Hitler quote after initial backlash, with Hitler’s name and other parts of the excerpt blacked out. Since then, he’s explained in an additional post on his story feed that he did not intend to disparage the Jewish community by sharing the quote.

“Anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way,” he posted. “I have no hatred in my heart toward no one! Equality. Equality.”

The Eagles, who originally drafted Jackson in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft and brought the receiver back for a second stint with the franchise last season, have since released a statement saying in part that Jackson’s posts “have no place in our society.”

“We have spoken with DeSean Jackson about his social media posts,” the Eagles’ statement reads. “Regardless of his intentions, the messages he shared were offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling. They have no place in our society, and are not condoned or supported in any way by the organization. We are disappointed and we reiterated to DeSean the importance of not only apologizing, but also using his platform to take action to promote unity, equality, and respect.

“We are continuing to evaluate the circumstances and will take appropriate action. We take these matters very seriously and are committed to continuing to have productive and meaningful conversations with DeSean, as well as all of our players and staff, in order to educate, learn, and grow.”

Jackson posted the following message on his Twitter account on Tuesday night.

“I want to personally apologize to the Jewish community, Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, Doug Pederson, the Eagles organization and our fans for the insensitive and ill-formed posts that I shared on my social media. My intention was to uplift, unite and encourage our culture with positivity and light.

“Unfortunately, that did not happen. I unintentionally hurt the Jewish community in the process and for that I am sorry. Now, more than ever, we must work together to end discrimination of all types and against all people and communities. This apology is more than just words – it is a promise to do better. I will fully educate myself and work with local and national organizations to be more informed and make a difference in our community.

“I will consider my words and actions moving forward. I will seek out voices from other communities and listen to their words, thoughts and believes. In a time of division, I am committed to doing my part in making this world a better place for our children.”

The NFL has also released a statement regarding Jackson’s posts, saying they were “highly inappropriate, offensive and divisive and stand in stark contrast to the NFL’s values of respect, equality and inclusion.” The league says it has also been in contact with the Eagles in response to the situation.

Jackson’s posts received support from former NFL running back Stephen Jackson.  Ryan Glasspiegel of Outkick.com:

Stephen Jackson, however, defended DeSean’s initial posts and said he was right. The explanation was unwieldy and nonsensical, and carried with it the implication that invoking Hitler and anti-Jewish remarks attributed to him was fine.

Today, Stephen Jackson went on Instagram Live; while he did clear up some misunderstandings, he nevertheless doubled down on dangerous Jewish stereotypes:

Jackson had a Jewish co-host on this Instagram Live who persistently tried to make him realize why the stereotypes of Jewish wealth and power — not to mention Hitler — were dangerous. For thousands of years, these stereotypes have been precursors to expulsion and/or slaughter of Jewish people. The dog whistles are ear-piercing.

One thing that Stephen Jackson kind of cleared up was that his initial defense of DeSean Jackson was not about the actual Hitler or Farrakhan posts, but the idea that he was being treated unfairly in comparison to Riley Cooper. There’s been talk of cutting Jackson — who is 33 years old and caught nine passes last season — while Cooper signed an extension. (Side note: I don’t believe DeSean Jackson ever publicly compared himself and his backlash to Cooper. Whether Stephen Jackson was referring to a private grievance or what someone else said is unclear.)

However, where Stephen Jackson repeatedly revealed his ignorance was in a combination of invoking the stereotypes of Jewish wealth and power, and saying that Jewish NFL owners have been silent about George Floyd and police violence. It’s fundamentally untrue. Statements were issued by the Kraft family, Mark Davis, and Jeffrey Lurie. The Buccaneers, who are owned by the Glazer family, issued a statement as a team. So did the Giants who are co-owned by Steve Tisch. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf announced he was donating $5 million to social justice causes. Nearly every Jewish NFL owner did say something.

While the co-host did finally get Jackson to repudiate Hitler, in almost the next breath Jackson returned to a point about the Rothschilds owning all the banks. The family has been the subject of widespread conspiracy theories that spread on YouTube. Jackson said he has many Jewish friends.

Good for Patriots WR JULIAN EDELMAN, who offers to politely offers to have an Uncomfortable Conversation with Jackson about his apparent beliefs.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

As the NFL community continues to deal with Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson‘s anti-Semitic social-media post, Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has offered his thoughts.

Edelman, who is Jewish, posted a video on social media addressing the situation, culminating in an invitation to Jackson to take a trip to the nation’s capital for a mutual effort in learning and understanding.

“I’ve been getting hit up by everyone asking me about this DeSean Jackson post, and I wanted to take some time before I responded because it’s a complicated issue, and I wanted to be thoughtful,” Edelman says at the outset of the 140-second video. “I wrote down some of my thinking.

“I’ve seen DeSean play in his career, make outstanding football plays. We’ve communicated over social media. I’ve got nothing but respect for his game. I know he said some ugly things, but I do see an opportunity to have a conversation.”

Later in the video, Edelman identifies a common ground with Jackson.

“I think the black and Jewish communities have a lot of similarities,” Edelman explains. “One unfortunate similarity is that they are both attacked by the ignorant and the hateful.”

Edelman outlines ideas for proceeding, both general and specific.

“We need to listen, we need to learn, we need to act,” Edelman says. “We need to have those uncomfortable conversations, if we’re gonna have real change. So to that end, DeSean, let’s do a deal. How ’bout we go to D.C. and I take you to the Holocaust Museum, and then you take me to the Museum of African-American History and Culture. Afterward, we grab some burgers, and we have those uncomfortable conversations.”

Edelman also reflects on his Jewish heritage during the video.

“For me it’s not just about religion, it’s about community and culture as well,” Edelman says. “I’m unusual, because I didn’t identify as Jewish until later in my life. Whenever I encountered hatred, it never really felt like it was aimed at me. It was only after I was part of this community that I learned how destructive hate is. Anti-Semitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred. It’s rooted in ignorance and fear.”

Edelman says he experienced some of that hatred in 2011, when an anti-Semitic slur was directed at him on the football field.

It’s still unclear whether Jackson’s actions came from random ignorance or conscious hatred. Regardless, Jackson is getting plenty of opportunities to learn and to grow. The opportunity to hash out these issues directly with another NFL player who plays the same position as Jackson could be the best way to do it.

Wikipedia explains that Edelman is from a mixed background and originally followed his mother’s Christian faith:

Edelman was born in Redwood City, California, to Angela (née Gole) and Frank Edelman, a mechanic who owns an A-1 Auto Tech. Originally raised as a Christian, his ancestry includes Greek, English, Scottish, Irish, Ashkenazi Jewish, and German. His mother was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, to German parents who had lived in Belgium.

Clay Travis tweeted this:

@ClayTravis

It felt like virtually every NFL player ripped Drew Brees for saying he would stand for the national anthem because he believed kneeling was disrespectful, but I haven’t seen a single NFL player rip Desean Jackson for his anti-Semitic comments.

WASHINGTON

Amazon joins Nike in cancelling the Redskins.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The places to buy Washington merchandise are becoming fewer and farther between.

Via Annie Palmer of CNBC.com, Amazon has notified sellers that it will no longer sell on its platform items relating to the Washington NFL franchise. Sellers have 48 hours to remove the flagged items, including jerseys, T-shirts, and jewelry.

Amazon confirmed to Palmer that Washington merchandise is being removed.

“Failure to properly close or delete all restricted product listings from your inventory may result in deactivation,” the company warned sellers.

Nike, Wal-Mart, Target, and Dick’s have stopped selling Washington merchandise. Fanatics and NFLShop.com will continue to do so.

Amazon’s gesture has added significance because Amazon founder and owner Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post — and he already has been mentioned as a viable candidate to secure majority ownership in the franchise, if Daniel Snyder throws his hands in the air and cashes out.

Good to know that Burgundy will survive the purge.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Washington is poised to change its team name, but not its team colors.

Burgundy and gold will remain the team colors, ESPN reported.

That makes sense, as the team is scrambling to change the name quickly, and there likely won’t be time for a full uniform redesign before the season.

The team is expected to change its name and stop using any Native American imagery in logos before playing another game. But players will likely be wearing the same jerseys, and fans will wear the same colors.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

RB RAHEEM MOSTERT wants to cash in on his new found success – whether or not he’s with the 49ers or not.  Michael Baca of NFL.com:

Raheem Mostert played a pivotal role in the San Francisco 49ers’ run to the Super Bowl last season, but the running back is now open to playing elsewhere.

After months of unfruitful negotiations in regards to a new deal, Mostert has requested a trade from the 49ers, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday afternoon.

Brett Tessler, Mostert’s agent, disclosed his client’s request in a tweet, stating, “After months of unproductive talks with the 49ers about fairly adjusting Mostert’s contract (which paid him for special teams) we have requested a trade. Disappointing that it would come to this for a guy for a guy who led all NFL RBs in YAC and helped lead them to a Super Bowl.”

According to Rapoport, Tessler said Mostert’s request is to simply be in line with the highest-paid running back on the team, which is Tevin Coleman, who is set to make $4.55 million in 2020. Mostert has two years left on his current deal and is due $2.57 million in base salary this season and $2.87 million in 2021, per OverTheCap.

The 49ers have already traded away a running back this offseason, sending Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins for a fifth-round draft pick. Along with Mostert and Coleman, the Niners’ current RB depth chart rounds out with Jerick McKinnon, Jeff Wilson and undrafted rookie JaMycal Hasty.

Mostert, 28, has been one of the best success stories in the NFL, going from an undrafted free agent to special teams nomad, to secret weapon in one of the NFL’s best offenses last season. Mostert’s breakout moment came in last year’s NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, when the hard-nosed rusher tallied 220 yards on 29 attempts and scored four touchdowns, setting multiple playoff rushing records. Mostert also managed to score a touchdown in the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.

After proving his value on the field last season, Mostert will now venture into the trade market while also looking for a new contract that reflects his worth. Time will tell if another team will look to attain Mostert’s services and fulfill his needs, but recent history has shown that it’s been easier said than done when it comes to the execution of a running back’s demands.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

WR SAMMY WADKINS with some maturity.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Sammy Watkins took a pay cut to stay in Kansas City in 2020 and make another run at a Super Bowl.

In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Watkins said that he prioritized sticking with a winner over chasing more money if he’d have been released by the Chiefs.

“I’m at the stage of my life now to where, at first I was like ‘Man, I want to get paid big money again,” Watkins said. “But then I realized, how much money do I need? My family’s taken care of well. Do I want I go to a team and lose, and get 1,000 yards or go to a team that’s sorry, whatever the case may be. Or do I want to come back with one of the best coaches, the best quarterbacks, the best organizations, the best team, the best wideout group — arguably — and come try to fight for another championship?

“I sat my agent down, and we was trying to shoot for these big (contract) numbers. And I’m like, ‘Man, let’s just take heed of winning. I’ve been on a winning team within three years. I know how it felt to win. Shoot, I’d rather win another championship than go get another whatever type of crazy extension or crazy contract.”

Watkins earned 673 yards on 52 receptions with three touchdowns in 14 2019 regular-season games. The middling regular season gave way to a big playoff run in which Watkins earned 288 yards on 14 catches with a score in three postseason tilts. He went five for 98 in the Super Bowl, with a huge catch to help spur the comeback against San Francisco.

A first-round pick, Watkins has earned $52.5 million in six years in the NFL, per Over The Cap, making it more palatable to prioritize where he plays over how much he plays for in one season. Set to earn $9 million in 2020 with incentives that could push it to $16 million is nothing to sneeze at either.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

The Bills have a big investment in WR STEFON DIGGS – and now he’s skittish about the threat of Wuhan Covid-19.  Matt Parrino of NewYorkUpstate.com:

The Buffalo Bills are exactly three weeks away from reporting to training camp in Orchard Park, but new wide receiver Stefon Diggs tweeted Tuesday night that he’s apprehensive about starting the season.

“I miss football,” Diggs tweeted. “I love football… with all of me. … But there’s so many unanswered questions with this upcoming season. I’d be lying if I said I was comfortable starting back up.”

– – –

The Bills have hired a Canadian Googler to direct their business administration.  The AP:

The Buffalo Bills have hired Jason Sinnarajah as senior vice president of business administration.

From Toronto, Sinnarajah has sports-related experience in previously working at Google, where he managed the company’s partnerships with the NFL and NHL in providing updated search data. He also worked with baseball’s Cleveland Indians on Progressive Field renovations and the team’s bid to host the 2019 All-Star Game.

Sinnarajah takes over for Dave Wheat, whose contract was not renewed in February.

The Bills’ parent company, Pegula Sports and Entertainment, also announced it has hired Mike McFarlane as vice president of finance and administration.

McFarlane has spent the past 30 years in the Buffalo area and will oversee the NHL Buffalo Sabres’ day to day business operations as well as PSE’s various other entities.

The additions come after the Sabres and PSE made a series of cuts to their staffs over the past 18 months.

NEW YORK JETS

A New York rookie thinks Philly is scary.  Shanna McCairiston of CBSSports.com:

The relationship between New York and Philadelphia is not always a good one, with a rivalry that is particularly apparent in sports. New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims has strong opinions on the city of brotherly love, and spoiler alert: it’s not a feeling of love.

Mims, a second-round pick taken No. 59 overall, doesn’t appreciate the feeling Philly gives and often the fierce, energetic and outspoken people of the city. Things like climbing telephone poles after winning a Super Bowl don’t appeal to everyone I guess.

The 22-year-old was asked a question about what he thought of Philadelphia while on a live stream of Call of Duty and gave a very honest answer.

The 2020 Jets draft pick said:

“I didn’t like that dirty-a–, trash-a– city.”

I guess East Rutherford, New Jersey is more his speed.

Mims has discussed Philly before while on the Inside the Birds podcast saying, “I wasn’t familiar with the whole city, and it was a lot going on. You see a lot of people that look scary. I’m not part of that, I don’t like that. I had a bad experience, you could say, going up there that first time.”

He said he was “very scared” while there.

The rivalry between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jets may not be the most intense in the NFL or even for the Eagles (see: Dallas Cowboys), but I don’t think Philadelphia will be that welcoming whenever New York comes to town.

The two teams don’t meet frequently but were scheduled for a Week 4 preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field. The NFL is shortening the 2020 preseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, so there’s a good chance Mims misses out on visiting his favorite city this year.

Before we get too excited, the Jets are actually based in the leafy Jersey ‘burb of Florham Park, so Mims has probably had a less urban experience with the Jets than an actual New Yorker.  And the Eagles training base is right in Philadelphia.

If the Eagles trained on the Main Line and the Jets were in Newark, his feelings might be reversed.

THIS AND THAT

COPING WITH CORONA

The PGA TOUR is facing a conundrum that could affect other sports, but it has found a way to let athletes plagued with Covid positivity compete.  Todd Kelly of Golfweek:

Nick Watney, Denny McCarthy and Dylan Frittelli, who all tested positive for COVID during the PGA Tour’s restart and who the Tour says continue to test positive, are in the field at this week’s Workday Charity Open and, after a late change to the tee times, will play in the same group for the first two rounds.

After releasing initial tee times on Tuesday, the Tour announced on Wednesday night that the tee times were adjusted so that those three golfers could be grouped together.

They will now go off the 10th tee on Thursday at 9:13 a.m., a tee time that previously wasn’t on the schedule.

On June 19, Watney withdrew from the RBC Heritage prior to the second round after testing positive for COVID-19, the first PGA Tour player to test positive.

On June 26, McCarthy tested positive for coronavirus and he subsequently withdrew from the Travelers Championship before the second round.

On June 28, the Tour announced that Frittelli tested positive for COVID-19 in screening ahead of a charter flight from Hartford, Connecticut – where he missed the cut at the Travelers – to Detroit, where he withdrew from the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

The Tour said it is following the CDC’s symptom-based model for those three golfers, as they have continued to return positive tests but they all meet the CDC guidelines for Return to Work.

Part of the Tour’s statement reads:

For clarity regarding players and caddies who tested positive for COVID-19 and were symptomatic – in accordance with CDC “Return to Work” guidelines and in consultation with the PGA Tour Medical Advisor and infectious disease experts – cases in which a player or caddie tested positive and continues to test positive, the Tour follows a symptom-based model, as outlined by the CDC, allowing for him to return to competition if:

• At least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery, which is defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and,

• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

Watney was initially grouped with Seung-Yul Noh and Bo Van Pelt; Frittelli was originally with Nick Taylor and Hideki Matsuyama; McCarthy was with Fabian Gomez and Scott Stallings. Those golfers will remain in their slots as pairs.

Also, the Tour, in accordance with those CDC guidelines, is using a “test-based model for asymptomatic cases in which a player or caddie who tests positive but has not had any symptoms may return to competition if he returns two negative tests results, a minimum of 24 hours apart.”

That’s how Cameron Champ, who also initially tested positive for COVID, was able to play in last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This week, Champ is grouped with Nate Lashley and Keegan Bradley for the first two rounds at the Workday Charity Open.

The nature of football cannot enforce relative isolation like golf, so for those anxious to find a problem, this will be something – what to do with people who are perfectly healthy in terms of symptoms, but deemed a risk by test classification.

ESCROW

If the NFL has its way, NFL players will be paid a full salary in 2020 – sort of.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

As the COVID-19 pandemic has created concern and uncertainty for the upcoming 2020 NFL season, the league and NFL Players Association remain undecided in regards to aspects of testing, preseason games and training camp structure.

On Tuesday, economics have come into focus as the NFLPA informed its board of representatives that the NFL has proposed 35% of player salaries be held in escrow to aid in managing costs during the 2020 season, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported per sources informed of the situation.

It is now one option on the table if revenue is impacted on league-wide basis due to the novel coronavirus. However, it was not received well, Pelissero reported.

Per Pelissero, NFLPA executive Don Davis told players on a conference call: “Basically, we told them to kick rocks.”

The NFLPA’s stance is that any escrow deal would need to be collectively bargained.

New Orleans Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas appeared to reaffirm Davis’ sentiments with a tweet in response to Pelissero that stated: “Lol everyone will sit out and not play until they get their stuff together before we do this.”

Thomas was not the only player to let their approval be known via social media, as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Eagles quarterback Darius Slay and Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan were among those who responded, as well.

A day prior, team general managers and coaches were told by the league that, though no decision has been made on how training camps will be structured, the plan going forward was that camps would open as scheduled on July 28.

Currently, there has been no decision as it relates to preseason contests, with the NFLPA voting in favor of no preseason games.

All of the changes are of course due to the ongoing coronvairus pandemic, which has brought about a multitude of new protocols for when players do return to team facilities and team practices.

Drew Rosenhaus is incredulous.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus told Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal that his clients are “in an uproar” over the possibility of losing salary in 2020.

“I hope this is not something that the owners were seriously proposing to the players,” Rosenhaus said. “It’s insulting, quite frankly. . . . Don’t go to the players this year who are putting their careers and lives at risk. The players don’t get the opportunity to go back to the owners when the franchises appreciate, and things of that nature. This is something that will have to be addressed, in my opinion, in future years, but not out of players salaries. . . . The NFL and NFLPA have to work together and that type of sentiment or proposal is just not in good faith. . . .”

With or without reduced salaries in 2020, reduced revenues in 2020 will impact the salary cap in a negative way in 2021. Rosenhaus believes that the pain shouldn’t be suffered in the short term.

“Take the projected cap increases we are going to have in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and level it all out,” he told Mullen. “It doesn’t have to be a big drop next year and a big jump in 2022. That is what I am proposing.”

It makes sense, especially since teams won’t want the cap to experience a significant drop, forcing them to slash budgets and cut players.

Rosenhaus also believes the league should be more aggressive in seeking more revenue streams, via expanded partnerships with sports books and casinos. “The NFL has to be more aggressive with their advertising in new areas like on-the-field for games,” Rosenhaus said.

That seems inevitable, especially as legalized wagering on sports continues to proliferate. The more states that legalize wagering, the more people will be wagering, the more money will be made, the more money will be available for partnerships with the NFL and its teams.

And so it’s on the NFL to grow the pie, rather than to try to restrict the slice of the pie the players already have earned.