The 2020 offseason film, permanent chaos

After an unusual offseason, the NFL will begin the 2020 season on the night of September 11 to 12 at 2:20 a.m. Before taking advantage of this clash between the Chiefs and the Texans, here is the opportunity to recap the major events since the last Super Bowl.

Reminder stitching for some, catching up for others. Here is the big summary in 20 dates.

02/10/2020 – The departure of Philip Rivers

While Eli Manning announced his retirement in January 2020, his 2004 draft buddy Philip Rivers decided to continue his career under other skies. The Chargers are therefore turning the page and will choose Justin Herbert in the draft. Rivers for his part will try to relaunch in Indianapolis after a complicated season.

15/03/2020 – Signature of the CBA

We almost tend to forget it, but it is not only the COVID which threatened the 2020 season. The negotiation of the new collective agreement lasted for weeks, some big figures of the league campaigning against the signing of this agreement .

After concessions on both sides, the agreement was finally signed. Among the measures, two have a considerable impact on the course of the season:

– Possibility of extending the season to 17 matches from 2021;
– Increase in the number of playoff teams from 12 to 14 teams.

16/03/2020 – Lots of tagged players

The period preceding the opening of the market is that dedicated to tags (Where, as our Canadian friends would say, the label). Among the “stars” who are automatically signed for one year, we find the quarterback that Prescott, Derrick the rider Henry but too Shaq Barrett and Bud Dupree.

The sequels are diverse, between players finally extended (Derrick Henry, Chris Jones), trades (Yannick Ngakoue) and others for whom negotiations are postponed for a year (Dak Prescott).

17/03/2020 – DeAndre Hopkins aux Cardinals, DeForest Buckner aux Colts

This is the most emblematic exchange of this year: DeAndre Hopkins was sent to Arizona against a 2nd round and the rider David Johnson. The consideration seems so much lower than the player’s value that this transaction has shocked the football world. While Stefon Diggs worth a first round, this is not the case with Hopkins according to Bill O’Brien.

Another important exchange, DeForest Buckner left to support Rivers at the Colts, against a top 15 pick in the draft. New Indianapolis defense leader, his former 49ers team quickly replaced him by choosing Javon Kinlaw with said draft pick.

18/03/2020 – Tom Brady signs in Tampa Bay

Look no further, here is THE biggest bomb of this year, if not the decade. Tom Brady, one of the best (The?) In history, figure of the Patriots for 20 years leaves Boston for Florida. While his relationship with the Patriots seemed eternal, he would eventually end his career under Bruce Arians.

Six times champions, he joins a contender in NFC, with talented receivers, and an old friend in tight end (see below). Best of all, the Buccaneers have also recovered Leonard Fournette just before the start of the season.

03/23/2020 – New logo for the Rams

While seven teams have changed jerseys, and the Chargers have slightly reworked the logo, the Rams have seen a total transformation of identity. Success or disaster? Your turn to judge.

06/04/2020 – La All decade team

The NFL unveiled the best team of the decade in early April, logically rewarding Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for the second time. But the selection is much larger, crowning legends but also forgetting some others.

BONUS : La All decade worst team, attack and defense, it’s a gift.

04/16/2020 – The first case of Covid

We don’t teach you anything if we tell you that the Covid has had a big impact on the NFL, the United States and the world. The first case of Covid in the NFL is symbolic, and took place on April 16, at a time when the United States had not yet understood the importance of the pandemic.

Which explains why the league, although the NBA and the NHL are shutting down quickly, took a long time to react and realize that action was needed.

04/21/2020 – The Gronk also at the Buccaneers!

As if Tom Brady weren’t enough to get the hype up, Tampa Bay also brought out Rob Gronkowski of his retirement ! Brady’s best friend returns after a short one-year hiatus, and joins an absolutely insane group of skill players.

In a very tough division, the Buccaneers will have to absorb all these reinforcements to meet the expectations of the supporters.

24/04/2020 – Joe Burrow N ° 1, Tua Tagovailoa in Miami

It’s no surprise after an extraordinary 2019, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was selected in first position of the draft by the Bengals. And the rest of the top 10 have, for once, no surprises.

Washington selected the biggest potential in the draft, EDGE Chase Young, Nick Bosa’s successor at Ohio State. Two other quarterbacks are in the top 10, the Dolphins have selected the talented but fragile Tua Tagovailoa and the Chargers have picked up Justin Herbert from Oregon.

4/25/2020 – Trent Williams at 49ers, Joe Staley retired

In open war with Washington, especially the medical staff, the tackle Trent Williams leaves the capital to reach the bay of San Francisco. The 49ers got it for a more than reasonable price, since it only cost a 3rd and 5th round.

He will replace Joe Staley, 49ers tackle for more than a decade, who retired after the lost Super Bowl. An All Pro to replace an All Pro, it looks like a nice acquisition.

05/04/2020 – Death of Don Shula

He’s a giant in NFL history who left us. With 328 NFL victories, the former coach of the Colts (Baltimore) and especially the Miami Dolphins is the most victorious in history in the regular season.
Double NFL champion, he is the coach of the only undefeated team in history, the 1972 Dolphins.

Obviously Hall of Famer, he passed away at the age of 90 and will forever be remembered in the history books as a football monument.

06/06/2020 – Goodell apologizes for not “listening to the players”

In this crazy year 2020, the CBA and the Covid are not the only significant events. Riots against police violence and racism have shaken the United States, giving rise to the Black Lives matter movement.

In this context, the commissionaire of the NFL expressed his regrets about the way players’ protests were handled in 2016, notably through Colin Kaepernick. He even opened the door for the latter to return to the league. Simple posture or real awareness? The future will tell.

06/25/2020 – The NFL cancels the HoF game … then the preseason

Covid, episode 2. After much hesitation, the league decided to cancel the preseason, after having reduced it to two matches (then one) at first.

This decision could have consequences for the start of the season, even if the importance of this period should be put into perspective. In recent seasons some teams had even decided not to play the holders in August.

06/29/2020 – Cam Newton signs for Patriots

After the departure of Tom Brady, the Patriots quickly rebounded. And it is an MVP which replaces an MVP, since it is Cam Newton who arrives in reinforcement. Cut by the Panthers and in delicacy with his physique for several seasons, the former Auburn joins a franchise that will try to turn the page Brady in 2020.

Winning return? It is one of the most intriguing puzzles of the season.

07/03/2020 – The Redskins, it’s over!

Les Washington… Football Team. Here is the new (provisional) name of the franchise from the capital. It has been several years (decades) that a name change was mentioned, in particular because of questionable connotations of this name in relation to the Amerindian tribes.

As mentioned previously, the Black Lives Matters movement has changed mentalities, and the franchise has understood it. What will the new name be? Warriors is the favorite, but there are many solutions.

07/06/2020 – Mahomes signs mega expansion

Half a billion dollars. This is the value of Patrick Mahomes according to his new contract signed for 10 years. Biggest contract in NFL history, it’s also the biggest contract in American sports, ahead of Angels center fielder Mike Trout.

It is a big risk for the franchise in the event of injuries for example, but difficult to blame them for wanting to keep such a phenomenon.

07/25/2020 – Jamal Adams in Seattle

It was one of the offseason soap operas, whether Jamal Adams was going to leave the Jets. The answer is yes, and this is Seattle who gets the All Pro. But for that it was necessary to pay a significant price, since it costs in particular two first rounds of draft.

A Legion of Boom 2.0 under construction? In any case, it will not be too much to face the formidable NFC West.

08/06/2020 – The list of opt out

Another date linked to the Covid. NFL players had the opportunity to forgo the season without affecting the contract of said players and being considered a fault.

The big losers are the Patriots, who lose defense boss Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung and tackle Marcus Cannon. But the list is much longer and concerns the majority of NFL franchises.

23/08/2020 – Earl Thomas coupé

It’s late summer surprise, Earl Thomas no longer a Raven. The multiple All Pro was at the center of an altercation during training camp, and it seems that the team leaders did not particularly defend the safety.

It’s a radical move by the franchise, which perhaps hides a deeper evil between the player and the organization.