The 2020 NFL season is slowly approaching as the calendar rolls into August and training camps are slowly getting underway despite the COVID-19 pandemic. While the 2020 NFL off-season and current preparations for all 30 NFL teams to get ready for the upcoming season has not been like previous years, it is still vastly important for each player and team to make the most of these times while getting prepared for the start of the 2020 NFL season.
One of the biggest topics around the game of football over the past few weeks has been the increased amount of NFL players opting out of the 2020 NFL season.
As teams all across the NFL have experienced players opting to sit out this season, one team that has had a major list of players deciding not to play is the New England Patriots. In total eight Patriots through August 2nd, 2020 have elected to skip this season. The list includes a pair of defensive starters in the likes of safety Patrick Chung and linebacker Dont’a Hightower. In addition to those two, offseason acquisition wide receiver Marqise Lee as well as Matt LaCosse, Brandon Bolden, Maracus Cannon, Danny Vitale and Najee Toran have all joined those two in sitting out this season.
For the Patriots this off-season has been a wild one as the team lost Tom Brady during free agency and elected to trade Rob Gronkowksi. While the 2020 NFL season should be an interesting one for the Patriots, they won’t be the only team that has to deal with the absence of players.
Players who have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season
Baltimore Ravens – Andre Smith (OT) & De’Anthony Thomas (RB/WR/Kick Returner)
Buffalo Bills – E.J. Gaines (CB) & Star Lotulelei (Defensive Tackle)
Carolina Panthers – Christian Miller (OLB) & Jordan Mack (ILB)
Cincinnati Bengals – Isaiah Prince (OT) & Josh Tupou (DT)
Chicago Bears – Eddie Goldman (DT)
Cleveland Browns – Drew Forbes (Guard) & Drake Dorbeck (OT)
Dallas Cowboys – Jamize Olawale (FB), Stephen Guidry (WR) & Maurice Canady (CB)
Denver Broncos – Kyle Peko (DT)
Detroit Lions – Geronimo Allison (WR) & John Atkins (DT)
Green Bay Packers – Devin Funchess (WR)
Kansas City Chiefs – Damien Williams (RB) & Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Guard)
Los Angeles Rams – Chandler Brewer (OT)
Jacksonville Jaguars – Lerentee McCray (DE/LB) & AL Woods (DT)
Minnesota Vikings – Michael Pierce (DT)
New Orleans Saints – Cole Wick (TE) & Jason Vander Laan (TE)
New York Giants – Da’Mari Scott (WR) & Nate Solder (LT)
New York Jets – C.J. Mosley (LB) & Leo Kolomatangi (OL)
Philadelphia Eagles – Marquise Goodwin (WR)
Seattle Seahawks – Chance Warmack (Guard)
Tennessee Titans – Anthony McKinney (OL)
Washington Football Club – Caleb Brantley (DL)
For now only time will tell if this list of NFL players to opt out will grow or if any of these players will elect to return as the season approaches.
