Teams can now promote a practice squad player up to 90 minutes before kickoff

Newsflash: This year in the NFL is going to look majorly different. 

If it seems that the league is squabbling at the last minute, trying to find a common ground between running the league to the best of its ability during a pandemic AND trying to keep its players safe (still kind of not-doable, in my opinion) - that's because they are. For some reason, that is still quite beyond me, the NFL had plenty of time to figure this stuff out, and instead they're waiting until the last minute. But that's besides the point.

The NFL agreed upon changes to the CBA last night while I was already in bed with my moisturizers and face serums. Some of the biggest agreements included the opt-out deadline being this Thursday, and this one - the ability for teams to elevate a player from the practice squad up to 90 minutes before game-time.

What happens if a player is diagnosed with COVID-19 or quarantined on the night before or morning of a game this season?

The NFL will permit clubs to elevate a practice squad player with notice to the league office up until 90 minutes before kickoff, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020

Practice squads also increased in size from 12 to 16 players this season.

I get all this, I swear I do. And I know it's needed for this to work - to be able to switch players out for healthy ones. But why does this feel like the players are pawns in a chess game to me? These are actual people.

All season, I get the feeling we're going to be watching (duh, we will be watching - that's why they're doing this) through our fingers. These guys who are being switched out like newer, cleaner pairs of shoes are actual people.