NFLPA approves LA Rams IDER, next up? Hard Knocks

The NFLPA approves LA Rams Infections Disease Emergency Plans (IDER). Next up? Hard Knocks

The LA Rams continue to inch forward to the 2020 NFL season. While there remains plenty to do to make that happen, another pair of major landmarks were reached today. The team announced signing their nine rookies who were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.  Then, as warm feelings began to well up, the NFLPA reported that they had approved the team’s Infectious Disease Emergency Plans (IDER).  Each team’s IDER is the protocol to follow in case players begin to test positive.  Imagine the preflight safety checklist before starting a plane. That is similar to what this plan is. Without its completion, review, and approval by the NFLPA, football does not happen.

The news was reported by the NFLPA today.

Next step

That means the Rams are moving onto the next step. So what are these next steps? Well, the team has begun to sign their drafted rookies, which surprisingly is happening on July 27, 2020.  And players will be subject to COVID-19 testing. Then players will take up their virtual meetings once more until they show up for their second and third COVID-19 tests. After three negative tests, the team will begin normal processing for players.

Pandemic protocol preparations

Meanwhile, the LA Rams are readying the facility, staff, and players for what is to be expected under the new pandemic protocols. Some interesting features are the presence of a tent in the parking lot of enormous size with support poles and a roof. That will ensure active airflow, one of the keys to defending against the inadvertent spread of COVID-19 among players.  Lockers have been rearranged to ensure six feet distance between players, and have further been staggered by the positions to take advantage of different schedules for different team groups. Of course, there are always outliers.

Of course, right around the corner is the LA Rams appearance on Hard Knocks. Keep in mind that the LA Rams share the stage with the LA Chargers in a special two-team edition of HBO’s popular series Hard Knocks. This is the second appearance for the Rams in the past five years, having last appeared in the series in 2016.

This will be a rather interesting season, filled with both on-field and off-field excitement this season. Stay tuned, as football news is coming in at a pretty good clip right now.