NFL players will not lose on purpose or sit out on purpose just to get a draft pick. Main reason is when that draft pick gets to be "elite", there is a good chance the player will no longer be there.
With that being said, lets say a team isnt looking forward to the 2020 season as they feel they wont be that good.
If a player wants to sit this year, maybe the team doesnt try to persuade that player to play?
The dolphins had a "tank for Tua" approach in 2019. The players still played their asses off but managment wasnt going to go the extra mile to win a few more games. Some of the better players who were "hurt" became out for the year. I'm sure if a player didnt want to play due to COVID, the fins management would have told that player "no problem"
With that being said, lets say a team isnt looking forward to the 2020 season as they feel they wont be that good.
If a player wants to sit this year, maybe the team doesnt try to persuade that player to play?
The dolphins had a "tank for Tua" approach in 2019. The players still played their asses off but managment wasnt going to go the extra mile to win a few more games. Some of the better players who were "hurt" became out for the year. I'm sure if a player didnt want to play due to COVID, the fins management would have told that player "no problem"