Eagles players finally learn NFL's opt-out deadline

Reuben Frank
·3 min read

If any more Eagles are going to opt out of the 2020 season, they only have until Thursday afternoon to do it.

The NFL and NFLPA have finally settled on 4 p.m. Thursday as the deadline for players to opt out because of health concerns related to COVID-19, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday evening.

Later Monday evening, Schefter reported that the NFL and NFLPA finally jointly approved the CBA provision governing training camp protocols, which formally locks in that 4 p.m. Thursday deadline.

So far, only one Eagle has opted out. 

Wide receiver Marquis Goodwin, acquired in a draft-day trade with the 49ers, announced last Tuesday he was opting out.

League-wide, 48 players had opted out as of Monday evening, including former Eagles Patrick Chung, Chance Warmack and D.J. Killings.

NFL players who opt out who are considered at-risk because of a medical condition will receive a $350,000 stipend in place of their 2020 salary and will earn a year of pension credit toward free agency and benefits.

Players who are considered not at-risk receive a $150,000 advance and do not earn a year of pension credit. If players in this category are not on a roster next year, they will have to  pay back the $150,000. 

All players taking the opt out have their contracts frozen, picking up in 2021 if they remain on the roster.

Originally, the opt-out deadline was going to be seven days after the NFL and NFLPA officially agreed to CBA provisions governing training camp protocols. 

As that date continued to move forward, NFL officials moved to set a concrete date, which did not go over well with at least one prominent NFL player. Patriots safety Devin McCourty said, "It's an absolute joke the NFL is changing the opt-out period, mainly because they don't want to continue to see guys opt out," McCourty told Patriots writers on a Zoom call. "I'm sure they're shocked how many guys have opted out. I think it's terrible. It's BS that the league has changed that date."

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Eagles players finally learn NFL's opt-out deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

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