NFL notebook: Playoff expansion reportedly planned

[February 20, 2020]  The NFL is expected to add two playoff teams and reduce the number of teams getting a playoff bye in the next collective bargaining agreement, and that agreement could be completed within a week, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday night.

According to the report, league sources indicated to ESPN the proposal would have seven teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs, up from six. Only one team from each conference would receive a bye in the wild-card round, down from two teams.

Had that format been in place for the 2019 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) and Los Angeles Rams (9-7) would have made the playoffs. The addition of a proposed 17th regular-season game could have further altered that scenario.

According to Schefter, the teams that get the first-round bye would get postseason pay for that weekend of rest, something that does not happen under the current CBA.

--Running back Adrian Peterson will return to the Washington Redskins in 2020 as the team officially picked up his option for next season.

"Adrian Peterson is the epitome of what it means to be a pro in this league," new coach Ron Rivera said. "Adrian's leadership and passion toward the game of football will set an example of what is expected of the players in this program moving forward."

Peterson is fifth on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 14,216 yards. He was a team captain and led Washington in attempts (211), rushing yards (898) and rushing touchdowns (five) last season.

--Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper confirmed on Instagram that he is fine, despite an earlier social media report that he had been shot in a parking garage in Dallas.

General overall view of NFL golden shield logo at the NFL Honors show at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Twitter account that reported the alleged shooting later was deleted.

"That was fake news y'all, everything good over here," Cooper, 25, wrote. Before Cooper's comment, the Dallas Police Department worked quickly to squash the report.

--Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Greg Robinson, the No. 2 overall selection of the 2014 NFL Draft, is facing a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute drugs after his arrest at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint in Texas, near the Mexico border, TMZ reported.

The outlet said Robinson was taken into custody Monday when agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered he had a large amount of marijuana. TMZ said Robinson was still in custody.

Robinson, 27, is due to become a free agent next month, and the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero tweeted the Browns had not planned to re-sign him.

--Field Level Media

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.