The NFL and NFLPA finally came to a global agreement on Friday — geez, take your time fellas, we've only been dealing with this for five months — on how the 2020 season will play out from a player-safety perspective and how the revenue shortfall will be dealt with going forward.
So many of the previous unknowns are now known.
Let's run through the major points and discuss whether they help or hurt the Patriots, or whether they're just in the same boat as everyone else.
TRAINING CAMP
Here are the particulars (for Chiefs and Texans, everything is three days earlier):
Tuesday: Mandatory and latest reporting date for all players. Teams may reduce their rosters from 90 players to 80 players. If so, they do not need to observe the "split-squad procedures." If teams do not elect to reduce their roster, they can practice with two different groups until Aug. 16 — the date they must reduce to 80 players.
First four days will have Covid-19 testing and virtual meetings
Aug. 1-2: Physicals and equipment.
Aug. 3-11: Acclimation period begins and runs for eight days. In groups fewer than 15, players will do 60 minutes of weight training camp and 60 minutes of conditioning. On-field walkthrough practices can happen for 60 minutes each of the first four days, and then 75 minutes the final four days.
Aug. 12-16: Ramp-up period for five days with one off day in the middle. Formal practices begin at 90 minutes with 15 minutes added on each day up to 120 minutes. First two days are in helmets and shirts. Final two days are in shells with no live contact.
Aug. 17-Sept. 6: Contact integration period. Teams can have up to 14 padded practices.
Sept. 5: Prior to 4 p.m., teams must be at 53 players.
Sept. 7: First week of regular-season practice.
Sept. 10: NFL season opener — Texans at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m.
Sept. 13: Dolphins at Patriots, 1 p.m.
Bedard's Take: A lot of this stuff just goes in the category of, "Everyone's playing the same schedule." Are the Patriots in a better position than some teams due to their veteran-laden roster and experienced coaching staff, led by Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels? Yes, especially on defense.
On offense, they're in the same boat as a lot of other teams because they really have two new quarterbacks (Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham) and the Patriots need contributions from some rookies, specifically tight ends Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.
But the Patriots could legitimately put out an entire opening-day offense that has intimate knowledge in the system, especially against a Dolphins team that has many new pieces on defense, and a new scheme on offense:
QB: Brian Hoyer (or even Jarrett Stidham)
RBs: (All of them return)
TE: Matt LaCosse
WRs: Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu and N'Keal Harry
OL: Isaiah Wynn, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon.
That's a lot of experience and a group that would be ready to roll.
I think this tightened schedule makes it at least a 50-50 proposition that Newton does not start the opener, or the first few games. I could see him getting his feet wet in the game. Belichick knows the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Given Newton's injury history and his lack of knowledge of the Patriots' scheme, what is the harm in bringing Newton along slowly?
On the question of a 90-man or 80-man roster to start, the answer would have to do with the logistics Belichick prefers. They're complicated, especially when it comes to QBs.
Players have to stay with their group. Group 1 is rookies and first-year players, and QBs and/or injured players. Group 2 is veterans. To help the rookies learn, I don't think you can just throw the two UDFA QBs with them ... I think you'd probably have to send Hoyer with them. That means Newton and Stidham with the veterans.
The good thing is, a team can cut to 80 at any time and resume full-squad workouts. Maybe the Patriots elect to use the first Aug. 3-11 period to try out the rookies and then make a cut.
But we may have gotten our indication the Patriots intend to go to 80 off the bat because they already released veteran CB Lenzy Pipkins on Saturday.
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