Lions delay rookies, will have full roster report next week

NFL rookies were allowed to report to training camp as early as Tuesday this week, but the Detroit Lions have asked their first-year players to hold back and report with the rest of the roster on July 28. 

While the league and its players association continue to work out various details for the upcoming season, particularly the financial ramifications of the ongoing pandemic, the two sides have agreed in principle to several safety aspects for when players begin camp.

Before players are permitted to enter team facilities, they must test negative for the COVID-19 virus twice over a 72-hour stretch. They will continue to be tested daily, for at least two weeks, and every other day after that if their team keeps its positive test rate under 5%.  

Once permitted in the facility, the first two weeks of training camp will be an acclimation period, focused on conditioning and classroom work. Actual practices aren't expected to begin until the middle of next month. 

Currently, Detroit's roster is at 90 players. There has been multiple reports that roster size could be trimmed approximately 10 spots to reduce the chances of an outbreak. The league already has agreed to eliminate all preseason games this offseason.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers