Report: 'Hard Knocks' set to feature Chargers, Rams if training camps take place

On Tuesday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter announced that both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams will share the "Hard Knocks" spotlight during the summer months, as long as training camps go on as scheduled. 

Per Schefter, no official announcement on this year's edition of "Hard Knocks" is expected from either NFL Films or HBO this week. 

The majority of states have shut down businesses deemed nonessential as of April 7, and such orders affect all leagues, the NFL included. There's currently no guarantee training camps will begin on time or occur at all before the fall. 

The Chargers and Rams are set to share SoFi Stadium for the upcoming NFL season.

The NFL has largely conducted business as usual during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Free agency opened in March. While the 2020 NFL Draft will occur from April 23-25, it will be a virtual draft to avoid gatherings of 10 people or more in one place.

According to ESPN's Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski, President Donald Trump told multiple sports league commissioners that he expects the NFL season will begin as scheduled with fans attending games during a call that took place on April 4. As Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports wrote, California governor Gavin Newsom responded to that claim that same day. 

"I’m not anticipating that happening, in this state," he said. 

Newsom added:

"Our decision on that basis, at least here in the state of California, will be determined by the facts, it will be determined by the health experts, it will be determined by our capacity to meet this moment, bend the curve and have the appropriate community surveillance and testing to confidently determine whether that is appropriate."

That doesn't necessarily affect the NFL's plans for "Hard Knocks." On April 7, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported MLB could move forward with a procedure that would relocate all clubs to Arizona so the league's regular season could begin as early as May. The NFL could follow in MLB's footsteps if large gatherings are banned in California, and other states, through the scheduled start of training camps.