The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed on an Aug. 6 deadline for players to choose to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams must receive written notice from anyone opting out by 3 p.m. CT on Thursday.
So far, just two members of the New Orleans Saints have chosen to step away from the game for a year: tight ends Cole Wick and Jason Vander Laan. And it doesn’t sound like Saints coach Sean Payton is expecting more to join them, though it’s a fluid situation. He’s still looking for more ways to improve on the NFL guidelines for operating during a public health crisis, but Payton has confidence in the changes his team has made already.