NFL Insider: 'High-Risk' Undrafted Rookies Entitled To $350,000 Stipend If They Opt Out Of 2020 Season

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DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - We've already seen several players opt out of the 2020 NFL season over COVID-19 concerns, but there's about to be a lot more, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero said Tuesday morning on 105.3 The Fan.
Pelissero broke the news Monday evening that the NFL and the NFL Players Association had agreed to some changes to the CBA in the wake of the pandemic.

As Pelissero noted on Shan and RJ,  one of the agreements will have a massive effect on the depth of teams' rosters this season. 

"You are going to see more opt-outs in the coming days, I guarantee you. I was on the phone late last night with agents who were preparing their paperwork for some guys because they'd be waiting to see the language on, for instance, if you have a player who didn't earn an accredited season last year, or is an undrafted rookie, and he's high-risk, does he get the stipend? The answer it turns out, (is) yes. 

"An undrafted rookie, if he's considered high-risk definitionally by the CDC, then he's entitled to a $350,000 stipend with no offsets. For a lot of guys on the bubble, that's going to sway them. There's no question about it. Then you got some star players, too, that are still continuing to look at this and wanting to gather all the information they can before (the) deadline."

You've already seen several star players, such as New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley and New York Giants center Nate Soldier, opt out of the season. Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence considered sitting out, but he reported to training camp last week, and all indications are that he will play. 
The growing list of opt-outs also includes several players on the roster bubble. The Cowboys, for instance, lost special team's ace (and fullback) Jamize Olawale for the season when he opted out this past weekend. He followed in the footsteps of undrafted rookie Stephen Guidry and veteran cornerback Maurice Canady, who already announced their intentions to sit out due to the coronavirus. 

Both of those players were facing an uphill battle to make the roster as the Cowboys have several options ahead of them at their respective positions on the depth chart.