Miami Dolphins fans rejoice as the NFL will begin on time

The NFL and the NFLPA have agreed on opening plans so Miami Dolphins fans should rejoice.

Next week the NFL will kick-off the 2020 season of training camps and the Miami Dolphins will return to the field.

There are opt-out options that will be available to the players but they have not been clearly defined just yet. What has been defined is that the league will return to the field of play this coming week.

Testing for players will reportedly include daily testing for two weeks. There was a rumor yesterday that 12 rookies across the league had tested positive but that has not been officially confirmed. Once players get back to teams, testing procedures will likely be covered under HIPPA laws.

Now that the league will return, here are some changes that Miami Dolphins fans should expect to see. Aside from empty to near-empty stadiums, there will be an increase of 16 players to the practice squads. Before that happens teams must get to 80 players.

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The NFL has mandated that teams reduce their camp rosters to 80 before reporting. Many teams already have rookies reporting and many of those rookies will not have a shot to make the roster.

On Thursday, the Dolphins learned that undrafted rookie Ray Lima had decided not to report. His decision was not pandemic related but instead was a decision to leave football entirely and retire. In the case of Lima, it would have been a hard camp that likely would not have ended with a roster spot.

As camp ramps up later next week, it is possible that we see other players with the Dolphins or at least in the NFL follow suit given the dwindling opportunities they are faced with.

NOTE: There is confusion on the wording of the 80 player rosters. Some say that teams will need to reduce by start of camp while there is also a belief that the reduction must occur by week three of camp. Conversely there is some talk that the NFL and the NFLPA have not finalized this plan and players are asking for 88 member teams with split units.