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The list of players sitting out this season continues to grow. Almost every team is represented as a significant 42 individuals have chosen to opt-out of the 2020 NFL season thus far. Below are the names and teams of declared athletes, as well as some insights learned from the list as it comes together.
The deadline for decision making is now August 8.
Baltimore Ravens: KR De’Anthony Thomas, OL Andre Smith
Buffalo Bills: DT Star Lotulelei, CB E.J. Gaines
Carolina Panthers: LB Jordan Mack
Chicago Bears: DT Eddie Goldman
Cincinnati Bengals: DT Josh Tupou, OT Isaiah Prince
Cleveland Browns: G Drew Forbes, T Drake Dorbeck
Dallas Cowboys: CB Maurice Canady, WR Stephen Guidry, FB Jamize Olawale
Denver Broncos: DT Kyle Peko
Detroit Lions: DT John Atkins, WR Geronimo Allison
Green Bay Packers: WR Devin Funchess
Houston Texans: DT Eddie Vanderdoes
Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Lerentee McCray, DT Al Woods
Kansas City Chiefs: OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, RB Damien Williams
Los Angeles Rams: OT Chandler Brewer
Minnesota Vikings: DT Michael Pierce
New England Patriots: LB Dont’a Hightower, FB Dan Vitale, RB Brandon Bolden, OL Najee Toran, WR Marqise Lee, OL Marcus Cannon, S Patrick Chung, TE Matt LaCosse
New Orleans Saints: TE Jason Vander Laan, TE Cole Wick
New York Giants: OL Nate Solder, WR Da’Mari Scott
New York Jets: OL Leo Koloamatangi, LB C.J. Mosley
Philadelphia Eagles: WR Marquise Goodwin
Seattle Seahawks: OL Chance Warmack
Tennessee Titans: OL Anthony McKinney
Washington Football Team: DE Caleb Brantley
Positional Breakdown
Linemen: 22
Wide Receivers: 5 (plus De’Anthony Thomas)
Linebackers: 3
Tight Ends: 3
Running Back / Fullback: 4
Defensive Backs: 3
Like we noted last week, the bigger athletes are the ones opting out at a greater rate, presumably because of greater risk.
Offense: 26
Defense: 16
Team Breakdown
Total teams with at least one player opting out: 23
AFC
North: 6
South: 4
East: 12
West: 3
NFC
North: 5
South: 3
East: 7
West: 2
Pro Bowl Athletes opting out after conniving their team into offering an undeserved market-setting contract and following the trade of their team’s best defensive player:
That would just be CJ Mosley, unless I’m mistaken.
However, Dont’a Hightower is also a Pro Bowl linebacker, and the list so far proves that players across the talent spectrum are taking this decision quite serious.
This is all without mentioning the astonishingly big COVID-19 / Reserve list that indicates a player who has or has closely contacted someone positive with the virus.
To date, the Seahawks still have only Chance Warmack sitting the year out, and neither the 49ers nor Cardinals have lost anyone yet.
At least one Field Gulls writer has been entertaining the possibility that all the Seattle running backs will opt out, forcing Russell Wilson to be the cook we know he can be.
There are a few days yet for that glorious future to come true.