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Patriots notebook: Devin McCourty unhappy NFL is moving up opt-out deadline

Patriots safety Devin McCourty is not happy about the NFL’s intention to move up the opt-out deadline for the upcoming season.

“I think 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 said Sunday afternoon via a WebEx conference. “I’m sure they’re shocked about how many guys have opted out.”

Eight Patriots, including linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung, have already elected to skip the 2020 season. The deadline to opt out, according to ESPN, was originally scheduled to be one week after the signing of a revision to the CBA.