What You May Have Missed from the 2020 NFL Offseason

The average person has a lot on their plate at any given time, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. With the 2020 NFL season set to kick off Thursday, some of us need an offseason refresher.

There's a lot to catch up on before everyone checks back into the sports news cycle.

So you won't feel lost, we've covered all the major storylines from the past several months, excluding the most recent big news about Jadeveon Clowney's decision to sign with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Buckle your seat belt.

This year, the league has allowed players who have COVID-19 concerns to opt out of the 2020 campaign. The New England Patriots had a league-high eight players exercise the option, including key starters such as linebacker Dont'a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung and right tackle Marcus Cannon. No starting quarterbacks opted out.

Upstart teams will field flashier offensive attacks. Several household names landed in new spots. The Cincinnati Bengals liked what they saw in the No. 1 overall pick at camp. Coming off a playoff run, one team had some friction with its quarterback, who didn't think much of the club's draft strategy.

What's new? Which teams and players will catch your eye this season?

Before we delve into the top storylines from the offseason, take a look at some of the other happenings across the league that will likely come up in discussion early on.

Baltimore Ravens Cut Earl Thomas III

The Baltimore Ravens parted ways with Earl Thomas III after his altercation with safety Chuck Clark at camp. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the team's leadership council motioned to sever ties with the three-time All-Pro.

The Ravens released Thomas on Aug. 23. He remains unsigned. Though the 11th-year veteran expressed interest in playing for the Dallas Cowboys during the 2017 campaign, the club isn't interested in him, per the Dallas Morning News.

Patrick Mahomes Signs 10-Year, $450 Million Extension with Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs signed quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a 10-year, $450 million megadeal. He's certainly earned every penny. The 24-year-old is one of two players in NFL history with 5,000-plus passing yards and at least 50 touchdowns in a single season. He just led his team to its first Super Bowl victory since the 1969 term as the Super Bowl LIV MVP.

More impressively, general manager Brett Veach extended Mahomes at an eye-popping number and still retained defensive tackle Chris Jones and extended tight end Travis Kelce. Many have joked the team turned off salary-cap restrictions to retain premium players. The Chiefs kept their core intact to try to repeat as champions.

Raiders Move to Las Vegas

The Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas this offseason. The NFL has embraced the city and would've hosted the draft there if not for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Silver and Black won't have fans at Allegiant Stadium this season, but the team will enjoy the look of a new home. Owner Mark Davis coined it "the Death Star."

In Week 2, the Raiders will play their first home game—against the New Orleans Saints in a Monday Night Football matchup.

Miami Dolphins Roll the Dice on QB Tua Tagovailoa

Leading up to the draft, a lot of speculation surrounded the Miami Dolphins, who had three first-round picks and a need at quarterback with 37-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick penciled in as the starter. For the most part, mock drafts connected Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert to the club in the No. 5 spot.

Tagovailoa went into the draft process with question marks about his durability. While at Alabama, he underwent surgeries on his ankle and hip. At one point, Tagovailoa said he didn't know if his hip would fully heal:

"It's just hard, especially with the injury," Tagovailoa said. "No one can really tell if it's going to heal correctly, if it isn't."

Yet the Dolphins selected Tagovailoa, which suggests he passed the eyeball test with the organization. He won't start Week 1, but eventually Miami will insert him into the lineup for Fitzpatrick.

Philadelphia Eagles Acquire All-Pro CB Darius Slay

The Philadelphia Eagles have struggled to field a solid cornerback group in recent seasons. Because of injuries, Ronald Darby missed 20 games in three campaigns with the team. Sidney Jones never panned out into a consistent starter, and the front office released him Saturday.

The Eagles sent 2020 third- and fifth-round picks to the Detroit Lions for Darius Slay. He's going to man the boundary as a cornerstone of the pass defense. This seems like a shrewd move with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott coming off his best season with career highs in passing yards (4,902) and touchdown tosses (30).

What do you get when the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year teams up with a three-time All-Pro wide receiver? We'll find out with quarterback Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins.

The Cardinals acquired Hopkins and a 2020 fourth-round pick from the Houston Texans for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-rounder.

In 2019, Arizona didn't have a pass-catcher who recorded more than four touchdowns. Hopkins logged seven with the Texans. Since 2017, he leads the category with 31. We should expect the Cardinals to field a more efficient red-zone offense, which ranked 29th in scoring touchdowns last season.

We'll see the Murray-Hopkins connection in two intriguing prime-time games against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 6 and Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football in Week 11.

Arizona hasn't finished with a winning record since the 2015 campaign. With this new duo, though, the offense is getting a lot of buzz. If the Cardinals put up enough points, they could surprise some teams.

The Buffalo Bills also pulled off a blockbuster trade for a wide receiver, acquiring Stefon Diggs and a 2020 seventh-rounder from the Buffalo Bills for 2020 first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks along with a 2021 fourth-rounder.

The Bills have fielded a top-10 ground attack in each of the past five years, though offensive coordinator Brian Daboll could open up the offense with more chunk plays. Last season, Diggs tied for sixth in 20-yard-plus receptions (20).

Though teams didn't have on-field OTAs this year, quarterback Josh Allen said he is optimistic about his ability to build a rapport with Diggs, per Chris Brown of the team's official website:

"John [Brown] and Cole [Beasley] did the same thing last year. When Cole came back last year it was kind of same thing. He came into training camp and we were just trying to get as many reps as possible, staying after practice getting some throws in and that's what you see with Stef and I think that's just kind of a common denominator for good wideouts in this league. They're willing to go and put in the extra work." 

Allen's sub-60 percent completion rate is a concern, but the Bills will force opponents to respect their signal-caller's strong arm. As a result, running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss may see wider running lanes in the box.

Though Teddy Bridgewater is entering his seventh year in the league, everything seems new.

The Carolina Panthers signed Bridgewater and released Cam Newton, signaling another significant shift in direction. The 27-year-old will work under new head coach Matt Rhule, who replaced Ron Rivera.

Via Twitter, Bridgewater reflected on the day he suffered a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap, which put his career in jeopardy:

"August 30, 2016

"While riding in back of that ambulance, I didn't know what my football future had in store for me. In the midst of so much uncertainty and pain, I found peace and my purpose in life.

"Dear August 30, 2016.....

"Thank you."

Since the injury, Bridgewater has started six games—all with the New Orleans Saints. He helped lead New Orleans to a 5-0 record while Drew Brees recovered from thumb surgery last season.

Now, Bridgewater will attempt to take advantage of another starting opportunity. He has a star running back in Christian McCaffrey along with DJ Moore and Robby Anderson at wide receiver.

We don't know how Rhule's offense will look, though Bridgewater's efficiency (65.2 percent career completion rate) bodes well for the unit.

The Cincinnati Bengals changed the complexion of the franchise when they selected Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick. Thus far, he's impressed teammates and showed poise during practices.

Geoff Hobson of the team's official website talked to quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher about Burrow's performances.

"He wants to be perfect," Pitcher said. "Yeah, when he looks at it, he'd like to have some of those throws back. But overall, I think his decision-making was good."

According to ESPN's Ben Baby, Joe Mixon said, "I really don't think he's your typical rookie."

The back added that his new teammate will elevate the offense with the help of his supporting cast.

"Mixon said that with Burrow in the fold and a group of wide receivers that includes A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd, the offense has the chance to be explosive," Baby wrote.

We can also add rookie second-round wideout Tee Higgins to the discussion about the Bengals' potentially high-octane offense. Typically, top draft picks go to teams that lack high-end talent, but Cincinnati has the playmakers to help Burrow jump to a quick start.

Last season, the Green Bay Packers finished 17th in passing yards. Only Davante Adams eclipsed 477 receiving yards. Perhaps the aerial attack needs a spark.

Green Bay signed wideout Devin Funchess after he missed all but one game with a broken collarbone in 2019. But he exercised the COVID-19 opt-out. The Packers didn't select a wide receiver early in the draft.

Instead, they picked quarterback Jordan Love and running back AJ Dillon in the first and second rounds. Dillon joined Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to form a versatile backfield.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't seem too excited about the team's decision to draft Love at No. 26.

"The general reaction at first was surprise, like many people," Rodgers told reporters. "Not going to say I was thrilled by the pick, necessarily. But I understand the organization is not thinking just about the present but the future, and I respect that."

The Packers essentially prioritized the future over getting immediate help following a 13-3 campaign.

According to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, Love hasn't shown "a glimpse" of his upside at camp. He's no threat to Rodgers' job. We can fairly question the team's short-term judgment when playoff windows close quickly in the NFL.

After 16 seasons with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers, Philip Rivers will suit up for the Indianapolis Colts.

Despite a down 2019 by Rivers, who threw 20 interceptions, head coach Frank Reich thinks the 38-year-old could bounce back, per George Bremer of the Herald Bulletin.

"Reich believes Philip Rivers wants to play more than one season, and he's 'very optimistic' it will be more than a one-year relationship with the team," Bremer tweeted.

Though Reich's optimism sounds like high hopes, the Colts have a stout offensive line to protect Rivers and a pair of running backs in Marlon Mack and rookie second-rounder Jonathan Taylor who can take the pressure off.

Indianapolis also selected 6'4", 223-pound wideout Michael Pittman Jr. in the second round. He's a potential complement to T.Y. Hilton (5'10", 183 lbs).

For comparison, the Chargers didn't have starting left tackle Russell Okung and center Mike Pouncey for most of the 2019 campaign because of injuries. The Los Angeles ground attack ranked 28th.

Most importantly, Indianapolis retained all five of its starting offensive linemen. Rivers' supporting cast may add a couple of years to his career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have implemented a roster-building strategy that caters to the future more so than 2020.

This offseason, the Jaguars traded defensive end Calais Campbell and safety Ronnie Harrison to the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns for fifth-round picks. Jacksonville sent edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second-rounder and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick. The front office also released running back Leonard Fournette.

Jacksonville had acquired the Los Angeles Rams' 2020 and 2021 first-rounders and 2021 fourth-rounder in a trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, so the Jaguars have four top-50 picks and 11 overall. They selected CJ Henderson and K'Lavon Chaisson in the first round this year, which provided the defense with a couple of building blocks.

If the Jaguars win fewer than four games with their stripped-down roster, they can hold conversations about targeting Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State's Justin Fields and a couple of other impact players early in next year's draft. The influx of talent would put Jacksonville back on the radar as a squad to watch next season.

In a fiery Instagram video (h/t SportsCenter), Cam Newton said, "They gave up on me." He was likely referring to the Carolina Panthers, who released him and signed Teddy Bridgewater.

In June, Newton signed a one-year deal with a $1.1 million base salary with the New England Patriots. He'll attempt to put his best on display on a prove-it contract before going back on the free-agent market next offseason.

Newton, the 2015 league MVP, went from the face of the Panthers franchise to a bargain-bin pickup in free agency. Clearly, the 31-year-old signal-caller is motivated to show he's still an impact player who can lead a team to the playoffs.

At the beginning of a workout clip, Newton said (h/t ESPN), "They ain't never seen this Cam." He sounded determined to bounce back from offseason Lisfranc surgery after suiting up for just two games during the previous term.

Newton may have to knock off some rust, but he's working with a winning organization and the brilliant football minds of head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. His redemption tour will begin at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1.

The relationship between the New York Jets and Jamal Adams soured quickly. Eventually, Gang Green traded him and a 2022 fourth-rounder to the Seattle Seahawks for first-round picks in the next two drafts, a 2021 third-rounder and safety Bradley McDougald.

Adams pinpointed the moment when everything went awry with the front office, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News:

"If they would have just simply said, 'You know what, Jamal—we're not going to look to pay you this year, we want to keep adding players—I would have respected that more. ... But for them to tell me that they're going to pay me and then not send over a proposal after they said that's what they were going to, that's where we go wrong. And then for you to ignore me, that's why I have a problem."

The Jets solved the contentious situation by trading rather than paying a budding star who's 24 years old. The New York secondary took a huge hit, while Seattle gained a versatile playmaker who can bolster its 22nd-ranked scoring defense from the previous campaign.

The Seahawks' matchups against the San Francisco 49ers already sizzled—now add Adams vs. tight end George Kittle to the mix. That's must-see TV.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came away with the biggest prize in free agency. The Tom Brady watch extended a handful of days into the new league year before the six-time Super Bowl champion agreed to head south.

Perhaps the Brady effect factored in to the Buccaneers' ability to sign tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Leonard Fournette.

We know about Brady's connection with Gronkowski from their time with the New England Patriots. Fournette seems excited about teaming up with "a new friend."

On paper, the Buccaneers have an offense loaded with playmakers—much different than Brady's 2019 Patriots squad, which featured wideout Julian Edelman and running back James White as the top pass-catching options.

Brady now has Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the perimeter. Each wideout eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards last year. Gronkowski joined O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate at tight end. Fournette will split touches with Ronald Jones II, LeSean McCoy and rookie third-rounder Ke'Shawn Vaughn.

With all that talent, the Buccaneers should reach the playoffs for the first time since 2007.