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Happy Wednesday, Falcoholics! Have you heard? There won’t be any preseason games. None. Zero. And lots of NFL players are opting not to play in 2020. Heck, in lieu of participating in the 2020 season, it appears the Patriots are already meeting to discuss how to cheat in 2021. But trust Roger Goodell, it’s perfectly safe to start training camp. There will definitely be football this fall—football with fans!
Our links come with a variety of dipping sauces: ketchup, mustard, and new this month: honey barbecue!
COVID-19
Rookie Safety Jaylinn Hawkins was placed on reserve-COVID 19 list. He’s the first Falcon to land on that list, and unfortunately, he’s unlikely to be the last.
Dan Quinn’s press conference yesterday was pretty illuminating. He covered a variety of topics, focusing in on how the team intends to move forward with training camp and season preparation during the middle of a pandemic.
If you’re not just reading this because you googled “awesome sports words,” then you’re probably familiar with the COVID-19 outbreak MLB’s Miami Marlins are navigating right now. Against that backdrop, Matt Chamber breaks down the NFL’s limited options and why they need to act now.
Kevin Knight’s player profiles
If you’ve missed Kevin Knight’s player profiles, well, that’s your bad. They’ve been excellent, and I encourage you to get caught up. Next up is Alex Mack. Mack is entering his contract year with the Falcons and at age 35, he could just elect to hang up his cleats once this season wraps. But that’s no reason to sleep on Mack. And frankly, even if this is his last season in Atlanta, Mack wouldn’t struggle to find a home in the NFL in 2021 because he’s still a solid contributor.
Revamped practice squads
The Falcons will need to get creative on the personnel side this season, and putting together a 16 man practice squad is going to be one of the biggest hurdles. It’s unprecedented and it’s probably the only way NFL teams can give their preferred free agents a shot at a future with the team.