NFL. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

The NFL and the NFLPA are getting closer to figuring out what theyre going to do this fall.

According to Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network, the NFLs latest proposal to players includes just one preseason game, rather than twoPlayers still want no preseason games and a longer acclimation period. But a sign the sides are working and getting closer to a plan for 2020.

Pelissero replied to his own tweet early Monday morning with a bit more clarification to help us better understand whats going on. Under the NFLs proposal, the one preseason game would be played in what normally is the third preseason week, the week of Aug. 27. Thatd provide an extra week of preparation, though not the full 21 days of strength and conditioning players want.

It should come as a surprise to no one that the players dont want to play in any preseason games. Why take a beating on your body for a game that doesnt count and wont have any fans in the stands? With the league conceding to only one preseason game, coming on what would be the typical week for preseason game No. 3, you can see its trying to meet the players halfway.

At their core, the players do want to play. They understand fully America needs football right now and these are full-grown men making absurds amounts of money to play a game they love professionally. However, they should be concerned about the NFL being behind the curve on implementing certain testing protocols. Uniformity will be key to ensuring us having a season.

Ultimately, there is too much money at stake for the NFL not to have a 2020 season. Itll look different than any other season before it, and we know that to be unequivocally true. With other North American sports leagues like the MLB, the MLS, the NBA and the NHL either playing already or are on the precipice of doing so, look for the NFL to learn from what the other leagues have done.

Even though it is a lost opportunity to make revenue should the NFL do away with preseason games altogether this year, it also hurts players desperately trying to make a roster. Star players have no interest in taking a snap in the preseason, but for rookies and fringe roster players, the preseason is their Super Bowl. Maybe expanded rosters are a way to rectify this issue in some way?

Look for the NFL and the NFLPA to reach an agreement here soon for how to tackle the preseason.

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The NFL and the NFLPA are making progress towards 2020 season - FanSided