No opt outs for the 2021 season

The deadline for players to opt out of the 2021 season due to COVID related concerns was Friday, July 2, but with the holiday weekend that pushed the news of the NFL transaction wire to today, and today’s wire shows no players electing to opt out.

The Chicago Bears had two players opt out a year ago in Jordan Lucas and Eddie Goldman, but Lucas has been back participating in the Bears offseason program, and a recent report has Goldman planning to return for training camp. Over the weekend a league source suggested to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs that Goldman “could be weighing retirement,” but with the opt out deadline passed that takes at least one option off the table for Goldman.

Until Goldman either reports to camp or makes an announcement that he intends to report, speculation that he won’t play in 2021 will remain.

No players opting out also means that the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, who could have saved $20 million by officially stepping away for a year, will now either report and play in Green Bay, or continue staying away while he awaits a trade.