Despite stating concerns two weeks ago, Odell Beckham Jr. is participating in Phase 1 of Browns training camp. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from the continuing uncertainty of NFL training camps amid the coronavirus pandemic …
1. Opt out deadline near
Apparently changing terms of an agreement with the players union, the NFL reportedly has set Thursday at 4 p.m. as the deadline for players to opt out from the 2020 season because of coronavirus concerns.
The league and union originally agreed the opt out deadline would be seven days after the amended CBA was ratified. The CBA finally was signed Monday night, per reports, but the deadline to opt out was moved to Thursday.
Now, you wonder if there will be a rash of players making the difficult choice to opt out.
Since the league and union agreed on rules to opt out on July 24, 48 players have chosen to sit out the 2020 season. Only two Browns so far have chosen to opt out – second-year guard Drew Forbes and undrafted offensive tackle Drake Dorbeck.
Last week, Joe Sheehan, Browns senior vice president of player health and development, said, “We will continue to really educate our players on all the high-risk conditions and then really support them as they work through that process with their personal physicians, our team physicians and then obviously, our [general] Manager [Andrew Berry].”
Berry will hold a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday.
2. What about OBJ?
Odell Beckham Jr. told the Wall Street Journal two weeks ago he wouldn’t mind if the season were canceled because the league appeared to be rushing into things without proper safeguards against the coronavirus.
Since the interview on July 24, however, the league and players union agreed to a comprehensive plan to move forward.
Further, Beckham reported to the Browns’ facility on time, observed all the safeguards in place, passed his Covid-19 tests, and participated in his first day of Phase 1 of training camp (strength and conditioning, and walk-throughs).
In the interview, Beckham suggested NFL owners were more concerned with recouping revenue than player safety during the pandemic.
“It’s obviously for their money,’' Beckham said in the WSJ interview. “And that bothers me because there’s always been -- and I hate saying it like that -- but the owners’ [attitude] is ‘Oh, we own you guys’ and just kind of that unfairness going on that they don’t see as human.”
Beckham has not indicated on social media whether he intends to opt out. We’ll find out by Thursday.
In other coronavirus-related news, the Browns removed punter Jamie Gillan from the Covid-19 reserve list and added quarterback Garrett Gilbert to it.
3. Whither the Chief
While tight end David Njoku rescinded his trade request and the Browns assured him that he is in their plans, this appears to be a one-year truce.
Yes, the Browns in May did formally exercise Njoku’s fifth-year option for 2021 at a salary of roughly $6 million. But that figure is not guaranteed. (Starting with the 2018 draft class – Baker Mayfield’s draft class – fifth-year options are fully guaranteed when exercised).
Given the fact the Browns will be paying free agent pickup Austin Hooper $4.5 million in 2021 – upping his salary cap figure to $9.333 million -- and 2020 fourth-round pick Harrison Bryant will be in his second season, it’s highly questionable that Njoku will see that fifth year in Cleveland.
If the top three tight ends are all back in 2021, the Browns would be devoting approximately $16.3 million in salary cap space to them. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($19.6 million) are spending more on their tight ends in 2020.