2021 NFL Offseason Transaction Thread

[madducks]

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports more than half of NFL players have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot.

Coaches in recent weeks, including Washington head coach Ron Rivera, have brought in medical experts to talk to players about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Many players have come out against vaccinations, insisting they need to do more "research" before joining the 145 million Americans who have been vaccinated against the disease. Teams that reach high levels of vaccination -- thought to be around 85 percent -- could be able to conduct pre-COVID meetings and practices this season. Unvaccinated players will have to be tested for the virus throughout the season and will not be allowed to travel during bye weeks. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday that he "feels better" about his team's COVID-19 vaccine "situation" after a host of Bills players were noncommittal about getting vaccinated, including QB Josh Allen. We could see players come around on the potentially life-saving vaccine in the final weeks of the offseason.

[chancellor]

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports more than half of NFL players have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot.

Coaches in recent weeks, including Washington head coach Ron Rivera, have brought in medical experts to talk to players about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Many players have come out against vaccinations, insisting they need to do more "research" before joining the 145 million Americans who have been vaccinated against the disease. Teams that reach high levels of vaccination -- thought to be around 85 percent -- could be able to conduct pre-COVID meetings and practices this season. Unvaccinated players will have to be tested for the virus throughout the season and will not be allowed to travel during bye weeks. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday that he "feels better" about his team's COVID-19 vaccine "situation" after a host of Bills players were noncommittal about getting vaccinated, including QB Josh Allen. We could see players come around on the potentially life-saving vaccine in the final weeks of the offseason.

I don't doubt that players on the margins saw the Jon Rahm story and recognized they could lose the opportunity of a lifetime if they're not vaccinated.

[revo]

I don't doubt that players on the margins saw the Jon Rahm story and recognized they could lose the opportunity of a lifetime if they're not vaccinated.

Great article in The Athletic yesterday. Most execs and agents are saying the "need for more education" line is a series of BS. They have far more vaccine education at their fingertips than 99.999% of Americans:

"The NFL won’t require players to get the vaccine, while the NFL Players Association continues to say it will encourage it. Soon, though, players will be split into two groups: Those who are vaccinated and those who aren’t, and the NFLPA doesn’t want to hear those in the latter group say their decision is due to a lack of information.

“We’ve talked about this now for four months,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said Thursday. “Their agents know, their contract advisers know, their financial advisers know. They’ve got access to team doctors, they’ve got access to our website, they have access to me, they have access to the folks who were touring and going around to camps now. There really shouldn’t be any excuse for not having the answers to the questions that you have.”

Agents will be part of the process, too. Multiple agents told The Athletic they are pushing their players to get vaccinated. One agent said he’s making a competitive argument to his players. Their careers are short enough, he said. Why would they risk missing games because they’ve either caught COVID-19 or been exposed to it? Another agent is far more blunt, saying he flat-out tells his clients they are “fucking idiots” if they choose to go into this season unvaccinated."

https://theathletic.com/2645295/2021/06/10/slow-pace-for-nfl-player-vaccination-causes-nflpa-coaches-and-agents-to-push-for-action/

In addition, the agreement this week between the NFL & the NFLPA has resulted in a pretty hard-line between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated camps. The non-vaccinated will be basically banished from nearly everything:

"Fully vaccinated players will no longer be required to undergo daily COVID tests, wear masks or face coverings at team facilities or during travel. (Pelissero adds those players will now only be tested once every two weeks.) They'll also be allowed to forgo all social distancing measures and won't be required to quarantine after high-risk exposure to COVID. Vaccinated players, coaches and staff will not be confined to a certain meeting capacity and will also be free of any gathering restrictions outside team facilities.

Those who aren't fully vaccinated will still be required to follow guidelines similar to those in 2020 -- masks, daily testing, physical distancing, etc. will all be enforced.

The biggest on-field implications, Pelissero notes, relate to the quarantine procedures. Previously, anyone labeled a high-risk close contact to COVID-19 was required to isolate from all other players, coaches and staff for at least five days. This led to countless players -- some of them big names at important positions, like quarterback -- missing either practice or games during the 2020 season. Now, those fully vaccinated are no longer required to sit out at all, regardless of close contact."

The agent said he has laid out the health reasons for the vaccine to the players but also the lifestyle advantages: From getting to travel during the bye week and being allowed to visit with friends and family during road trips, to the elimination of mask requirements while at work."

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-nflpa-agree-to-new-covid-19-protocols-for-2021-season-loosening-restrictions-for-those-vaccinated/

I can definitely see non-star players be routinely cut if they're not vaccinated. Who wants to deal with a Broncos-like problem again this year, if your 2nd and 3rd string QBs are unvaccinated? F them, off they go. Find new ones, they're dime a dozen.

[Bene Futuis]

I mean, why not just require them to get vaccinated? Still, I bet the NFL's approach will be pretty effective.

[madducks]

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, in a challenge to the NFL's new Covid-19 training camp and preseason protocols, tweeted that he'd rather retire than get a vaccine.

[chancellor]

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, in a challenge to the NFL's new Covid-19 training camp and preseason protocols, tweeted that he'd rather retire than get a vaccine.

The Bills response should be like the bug in MIB 2 - "Your proposal is acceptable".

[revo]

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, in a challenge to the NFL's new Covid-19 training camp and preseason protocols, tweeted that he'd rather retire than get a vaccine.

To be fair, he doesn't *have* to get the vaccine. He can stay unvaccinated. But he *would* have to deal with the nonsense of being unvaccinated. His choice!

[Bene Futuis]

Not sure if any NFL player has come out as gay before today, but Raiders DE Carl Nassib just announced for Pride Month that he is a gay man. Respect. Good luck this season!

[Bene Futuis]

Not sure if any NFL player has come out as gay before today, but Raiders DE Carl Nassib just announced for Pride Month that he is a gay man. Respect. Good luck this season!

Yep, first openly gay active NFL player in history. Also donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, which aims to prevent suicide in LGBTQ youth.

[madducks]

Not sure if any NFL player has come out as gay before today, but Raiders DE Carl Nassib just announced for Pride Month that he is a gay man. Respect. Good luck this season!

He has the top-selling NFL jersey over the last 24 hours.

[madducks]

Yep, first openly gay active NFL player in history. Also donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, which aims to prevent suicide in LGBTQ youth.

The NFL subsequently matched that donation.

[madducks]

The Steelers released RG David DeCastro. DeCastro has been dealing with a serious ankle issue and is considering retirement. The Steelers offensive line is not looking good after losing both 9-time Pro Bowler Markice Pouncey (retired) and now 6 time Pro-Bowler DeCastro. Maybe the Steelers can talk the Pouncey brothers out of retirement.

Steelers sign OG Trai Turner, formerly of the Chargers, to a one-year contract.

[madducks]

33 year-old WR Demaryius Thomas who played the first 8 and a half of his 10 seasons with the Broncos before finishing with the Texans and Jets, has retired. He finishes his career with 724 receptions, 9763 yards, and 63 TDs.

[madducks]

The Jaguars sign No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence for 4 years/$36.8 million.

[madducks]

Saints sign RB Devonta Freeman to a one-year deal.