NFL News: Update for 6/22/20

Here’s your daily roundup of all the current NFL news that’s affecting the 2020 season. Today we’re checking out some trade possibilities and visiting with other items from around the league, so let’s jump right in with the latest NFL updates. Check back all season long for free NFL picks and NFL predictions at Sports Chat Place. 

Adams to Cowboys? – Over the past week or so we’ve been following a storyline concerning Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams, who has been rumored to be close to a potential trade. The most likely suitors seem to be the Dallas Cowboys, who have both the trade capital and the need for a dynamic player like Adams in their secondary. 

This situation has been developing for quite a while—at least since back in October when the Jets were taking calls about what they could get for Adams in a deal. The Cowboys were one of those teams and the discussions were substantial, but in the end Dallas just didn’t want to pay New York’s sky-high asking price. 

For Adams’ part, he seems more than happy to play for the Cowboys, as he’s originally from that area. He’s also been lobbying for a trade publicly, which could speed up the discussions. Whatever the case, Dallas is likely going to have to shell out at least a first-round draft pick for Adams. We’ll keep an eye on this one. 

NFL Virus Updates – The clock is ticking on the 2020 NFL season, and the league still has a lot of work to do in setting up detailed health and safety protocols for the teams and personnel. As of right now it seems things are still on track: the virtual offseason is set to end on June 26 and training camps are targeted for mid-July or so. Cutting down the preseason (in all likelihood in half from four games to two) is still on the table as well. 

That said, there have been some recent developments which may give the NFL pause in moving forward. A sizable group of players from several teams (including the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott) tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, which caused the players’ union to ask its members to stop private workouts with teammates. 

The league is still moving forward with plans, and when players start getting back onto the field for organized team activities we’ll see rearranged locker rooms and redesigned on-field group workouts. It’ll be strange to get used to, but necessary for 2020 NFL football. 

Thuney Contract Update – We’ll finish up with an update on the status of New England’s Joe Thuney, who was franchise tagged in March under the condition the team was “hopeful” to work out a long-term contract extension with the offensive guard. 

It doesn’t look like much progress has been made on that front, however. New England has until July 15 to sign Thuney to an extension or else he’ll be making $14.78 million on a one-year franchise deal (second-highest in the league at his position), and they’re no closer to that goal than they were back in March. Considering the big number on that tag, there’s not much incentive for Thuney to ink a lengthy deal unless it’s very favorable to him. This one could get interesting so we’ll keep you posted.