Packers bring top draft picks into fold
GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers' two top 2020 draft picks are officially on board.
Quarterback Jordan Love, who was selected in the first round (No. 26 overall) of the April draft, and running back AJ Dillion (who was chosen in the second round, No. 62 overall) signed their rookie contracts Wednesday, the team announced.
According to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo, Love signed a fully guaranteed four-year contract for $12,383,470, with a $6,566,160 signing bonus. Garafolo reports it's the first time the No. 26 pick has received a fully guaranteed deal under the current rookie contract system.
That leaves only three Packers draft picks unsigned: third-round tight end Josiah Deguara, fifth-round linebacker Kamel Martin and sixth-round center Jake Hanson.
Dillon announced his signing earlier in the day on Twitter.
Love and Dillon are in Green Bay and working out in preparation for training camp.
Camp is scheduled to open July 28 but coach Matt LaFleur has indicated he plans to have rookies report a week early.
NFL shortens exhibition schedule: Schedule-wise, the NFL had managed to remain largely unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic. Spring camps and organized team activities were canceled and held virtually, but the league had pressed on regarding the opening of training camp as scheduled July 28 and releasing a full slate of preseason and regular-season games.
That now has changed, a league source confirmed to PackersNews on Wednesday.
The NFL will shave two preseason games off its schedule, as first reported by ProFootballTalk.com. ESPN followed up with specifics that the first and fourth games will be canceled to allow a greater run-up of practice time for players to get in shape to play.
The Packers were scheduled to host the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 15 in the exhibition opener and head to Kansas City to play the preseason finale Sept. 3. Those games have been taken off the schedule, PackersNews confirmed.
The Packers are scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns Aug. 22 and visit the New York Giants on Aug. 29.