NFL to carry over flexible roster rules for 2021 season

The NFL will carry around a collection of 2020 roster regulations created to preserve enough figures if players are sidelined by constructive COVID-19 tests.

The conclusion had been prolonged predicted but was verified during a media briefing Friday by Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s main football administrative officer.

The regulations contain:

Enlargement of apply squads to 16 players, which includes up to 6 who have much more than two accrued seasons.
The capability to secure up to four apply squad players per week from being signed by other teams.
Elevation of up to two apply squad players to the lively roster, with out getting rid of any present-day players, before 4 p.m. ET the day before a game.
Elevation of an added apply squad player in ninety minutes before kickoff in the event of a late COVID-19 constructive rest outcome.
Players positioned on wounded reserve can return after 3 months, somewhat than 6 as in ordinary seasons.
Elimination of the restrict for how numerous players can be activated from wounded reserve.

The NFL pointed to these regulations last period as its cause for refusing to postpone game titles when COVID-19 protocols set teams at serious competitive down sides, this sort of as when the Denver Broncos have been pressured to engage in the New Orleans Saints with all four of the quarterbacks on their roster sidelined. The exact same will be real in 2021, Aponte mentioned.

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“Video games will not be postponed to prevent roster problems,” she mentioned.

The majority of NFL teams will report to instruction camp up coming week. As of Friday morning, 80% of players had at the very least began the vaccination approach, in accordance to main healthcare officer Dr. Allen Sills. 9 teams have at the very least ninety% of their players in the vaccination approach, and all but 5 teams are at 70% or over, Sills added.

Sixteen NFL teams have hit a vaccination charge of eighty five% or better, a resource told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.