According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, the league and the players union are discussing the possibility of a shortened preseason this year. Speculation is that the preseason schedule could be cut from the usual four games to two.
While fans are no doubt eager to see any kind of sports on TV again, doing so would make a lot of sense.
The pandemic has forced players and coaches out of team facilities for the entirety of the offseason, with some only recently being allowed back in the building. That means no OTAs, no rookie minicamps, no months of preparation for the 2020 season.
This could be particularly hard on first-year coaches like Matt Rhule, who is trying to get his new team together with virtual meetings. Cutting the preseason in half would give Rhule more time to get to know his players before they’re forced onto the field. Rhule says he’s only met with about 20 of the guys currently on the roster.
If the Panthers do see their preseason schedule cut to two, we’d likely see them drop the first two games against the Jaguars and the Patriots. They are scheduled to play the Ravens in a nationally televised game on NBC Week 3.
