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The NFL has been gunning for training camp for months now. They cancelled non-virtual minicamps and OTAs and bent their will toward getting all 32 teams in camp as close to on time as possible, despite the ongoing question marks around COVID-19 and how feasible a 2020 regular season might prove to be.
Who knows how things will go from here, but the NFL has confirmed training camps will open on July 28 for every team.
NFL memo to teams today reinforcing the start dates for training camp as specified in the CBA. pic.twitter.com/tCmxUHRPUm
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) July 18, 2020
There are hurdles for this, even still, like the fact that the NFLPA has not signed off on something that would permit more than 20 players to be in a facility at a given time. They’ll have about 10 days to get that ironed out or camp is going to open without a lot of players in attendance.
As of now, only 20 players would be allowed in the facility at a time, until the NFLPA signs off on infectious disease emergency response plans for each club. If protocols aren't met, a grievance could follow. But clubs have the right to set reporting dates within CBA rules.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 18, 2020
For all the caveats and all the cynicism, I’ll admit to feeling a little jolt when I saw this confirmed. Getting an NFL season out of this impossibly lousy year would be wonderful, even if I’m still dubious they’ve thought through things enough to enjoy a full slate. We’ll start talking training camp battles again shortly, since training camp will have an outsized impact on those battles this year, and hope for the best for the weeks and months ahead.