While reports earlier today indicated the NFL has no plans to alter the start of free agency due to COVID-19, that could change soon. The league may announce on Sunday the delay of the free agent period, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The NFLPA is scheduled to vote on the proposed collective bargaining agreement by Saturday night, so the league would wait until voting has closed in order to stop further delays to that negotiation process. Currently, the deadline to apply the franchise or transition tag is Monday at 11:59am ET, followed immediately by the opening of the legal tampering period at 12:00pm ET.
Free agency, then, is set to officially open next Wednesday at 4pm ET. While many other sports leagues have suspended their seasons, the NFL has as of yet made no such move to delay the beginning of its offseason. However, with coronavirus threats ramping up every day, the league may decide to change its plans.
As Florio notes, free agents likely wouldn’t be allowed (or willing) to take the ceremonial trip to their new destination in order to sign a contract and hold a press conference. Additionally, from a fairly superficial standpoint, it’s unclear how much publicity would be given to transactions, especially as more serious COVID-19 issues arise each day.
I get the delay of seasons and large gatherings but what in the heck is wrong with free agency.? How does this involve a lot of people … do free agents really need to travel for this. Do they know what they are getting from last years tapes ? This is getting silly
Maybe for physicals? Trying to decide between different teams on visits.
Lotta travel probably. They sign contracts/negotiate in person. Some guys go on 6-7 visits. I don’t think many people want to have to go through 7+ airports right now.
This is stupid.
Why not use Skype or something along those lines. I agree it’s better to meet with someone face to face, however, desperate times call for desperate measures.
it’s all getting to much. You would think there is 75,000 people in the u.s. right now the way things are shutting down. It’s gotta stop somewhere/somehow. We need some leaders to say hey this could get bad if precautions aren’t taken. Not shut everything down, next I wouldn’t be surprised if states didn’t start putting Marshall law into effect, it’s getting people to panicked from people at the top
Well this is a super contagious virus that is 10 times more deadly than the flu with no anti virus made yet. It is absolutely unprecedented and we were not prepared well as a country, not saying it’s anyone’s fault but I don’t believe sports are the most important thing right now.
It isn’t ten times deadlier than the flu. That’s grossly misleading. 80% of cases are mild and don’t require hospitalization. The remaining cases are usually older people with compromised immune systems and/or are smokers. That last group is also the one responsible for most of the death statistic as well.
This happens whenever a virus nobody has any resistance to appears.
that’s not my point. My point is why did sports (for the most part) be the 1st entities that “temporarly shutdown? schools needed to be 1st and formost, then something like public transportation, clubs/bars/restaurants, homeless shelters, interstate travel (plane/bus/trains.
Schools have started to shut down at least where I am at and it isn’t even really spreading yet. If you take a look at the numbers, there have been about 100,000 cases world wide and 3,000 deaths. The influenza this year in the US alone has had about 34 million cases and 20,000 deaths (according to the CDC).
The problem is they really have no idea how many people had it and are now recovered which would drastically change the death rate.
Yeah you are probably right, it just seems like people are being too casual about it. Right now it looks worse than the truth though I agree. Those numbers are a lot more than 10 times worse than the flu though too.
I am upset I was going to go to Sawgrass this weekend and I love March Madness, I hate it is all canceled or no spectators allowed, but I understand.
I will not like the Brady / Prescott fake news articles for the foreseeable future… oh well…
You shut down non-essential first than move outward from there.
SUPER! That only means more Dak Prescott articles! Can’t hardly wait.
I just hope they alternate with Tom Brady to “fill-in-the-blank” articles. THAT will be AWESOME!!!
That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! The other sports had to do this for the reason of safety. The LAST thing on the NFLs mind is safety!$$$$$$$$$
Not to be a smartazz but …. what is going to be featured on ESPN exactly? Considering they have about 3 channels on every cable network. Doesn’t seem like there will be anything to talk about … just sayin
I actually wondered the same thing. I looked at the programming guide that comes with cable and everything says, “To be announced.” Reruns of Australian Rules Football, anyone??
Doesn’t need to be re-runs, the season (hopefully) starts Thursday night 3/19…
But I expect it will be postponed in the next few hours.
no please don’t, the only thing that could make this situation worse is if ESPN has a reason to speculate on which team will sign Brady even more than they already do