Report: NFL announces Week’s 1 & 4 of the preseason will be scrapped

Kyle’s update, 3:05 p.m.:

Pro Football Talk reported that the NFL officially ditched two preseason games for the 2020 preseason. The NFL will scrap Week’s 1 and 4. Per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the primary driver was the understanding that players will need longer to get into shape. There will be a three week acclimatization period between the start of training camp, July 28, and the first pod of preseason games.

The second reason was that no teams had on-field practice sessions in the offseason, and coaches would rather have the extra time to work with their teams instead of working around the other two preseason games. You’d lose a few days here and there of contact, for example. I’ve seen some argue that since the final preseason game “is worthless,” that the NFL is essentially losing only one preseason game. That undermines the players at the bottom of the roster and how important it is for them to have that one final impression. This could be the last time wee see a four-week preseason schedule as the CBA allows for it to be shortened if the NFL moves to a 17-game regular-season schedule next year.

For the San Francisco 49ers, this means the game against the Broncos August 15 and the game against the Chargers on September 3 will be canceled. That’s if the current schedule remains the same, or if there is a preseason. The NFL also plans to give teams one home game and one on the road. If the schedule remains the same, nothing will change for the Niners as they would play a home game at Levi’s Stadium against the Raiders on August 21 then travel to Chicago to play the Bears the following week, August 29.