League reportedly will consider no preseason

The NFL plans to consider the NFL Players Association’s recommendation to cancel the preseason though it prefers to cut the schedule in half, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press on Friday night.

The league decided Wednesday to cut its preseason from four games to two and push back the start of exhibition play so teams have more time to train because the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of offseason practices, a person with knowledge of the decision told the AP.

But the union’s board of player representatives voted Thursday to ask the league to cancel the entire preseason schedule, according to two people who were part of that conversation.

According to the collective bargaining agreement, the NFL can impose up to four preseason games per team this season and up to three when the regular season goes to 17 games in 2021. The teams that play in the annual Hall of Fame game may play an extra game. That game between the Cowboys and Steelers scheduled for Aug. 6 already was canceled.

The four people spoke on condition of anonymity because the league and the union haven’t reached an agreement.

The pandemic forced teams to conduct their entire offseason programs via videoconference. So, teams will be gathering together for the first time when training camps open this month.

Pacers’ Oladipo to sit out restart of season

The Indiana Pacers will finish this season without Victor Oladipo after the two-time All-Star decided to sit out because of the risk of re-injuring his right knee.

Earlier this week, Oladipo told reporters he was still debating whether to join his teammates in Orlando.

“We totally respect and understand Victor’s decision to not play in the restart of the NBA’s season,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said Friday in a statement.

“The first priority for our players is, and always will be, their health, whether that be physical or mental health. Victor has looked great in workouts, but the timing of the restart and lack of 5-on-5 activity makes it difficult to for him to commit to playing at the high level he expects with regards to further injury.”

D-Backs closer Bradley says family members tested positive for virus

Diamondbacks closer Archie Bradley said both of his parents and his brother all tested positive for COVID-19 back in March. All three of them have recovered.

Bradley said his mom was asymptomatic while his brother was only sick a few days. But his dad’s case was serious and he was in the hospital for 10 days.

“My dad’s like my best friend so I was definitely concerned,” Bradley said.

“But I prayed about it, felt good about it and ultimately my dad’s a fighter and so is my family. We were lucky.”

Bradley was not living with his family and did not test positive for the virus. He threw a simulated inning on Friday during the team’s first workout at Chase Field.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has asked the Cleveland Browns to trade tight end and former first-round draft pick David Njoku, a person familiar with the request told The Associated Press on Friday.

Rosenhaus wants his client out of Cleveland, but the Browns, who picked up the fifthyear contract option on Njoku in April, have no plans to move him, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly commenting on the situation.

Rosenhaus told ESPN that “it is in David’s best interest to find a new team at this time.” He did not respond to a message from the AP seeking further comment.

Njoku was selected with the No. 29 overall pick in 2017. He caught 88 passes for 1,025 yards and scored eight touchdowns in his first two seasons.