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With the coronavirus outbreak continuing to spread across the United States, the NFL is still working on contingency plans. With the NFL Draft fast approaching, employees of teams and the league alike are hard at work in home offices to prepare for the premier offseason event, which is now just 17 days away.
But with social distancing guidelines staying in effect until at least the end of April — and looking like they will be extended beyond that — offseason workouts are already being affected. Teams with new head coaches would have reported for business today under normal circumstances, but with team facilities ordered to close, that is obviously impossible.
Based on comments from the head of the Green Bay Packers’ organization, it looks like these workouts will be held remotely over the next several weeks. This may eventually be the cast for all of OTAs and minicamp as well, though rookie minicamps may simply cease to exist for one offseason.
But with no clear timeline in place, the start of the NFL’s regular season is also in jeopardy. At this point, the league’s schedule-makers have until May 9 to provide a final schedule — a bit later than usual — but they are reportedly looking at shorter options than a typical 16-game schedule to accommodate a possible late start.
MT5: COVID-19 pandemic challenging all of us | Packers.com
Mark Murphy addresses questions from Packers fans about the team's and the league's response to coronavirus. One notable item is that offseason workouts will probably be done virtually, with players and coaches communicating remotely.
NFL Draft Telecast scenarios; Inside Colts war room - Pro Football Talk
Peter King's weekly NFL information dump includes items about the NFL ditching Zoom in favor of Microsoft Teams due to security concerns and interviews with several members of the Colts organization on how they are doing draft prep. The other big item is that the NFL's schedule-makers are likely going to work on 12- and 14-game schedule options as backups.
From $182M in 2019 to $26.5M in 2020: How Packers spent in free agency - ESPN
Here's a look at the final financials of all three of the Packers' new acquisitions in the 2020 free agency period.
Report: Packers doing ‘extra homework’ on FIU QB James Morgan | Packers Wire
The Packers have consistently been among the teams reported to be interested in Morgan, an Ashwaubenon native, and he has a similar profile to that of Tim Boyle: a strong-armed pocket passer with questions about his accuracy.
Seven hypothetical NFL trades that could still make sense this offseason – The Athletic (subscription required)
A Brandin Cooks-to-Green Bay trade is mentioned here, with very modest compensation (a fourth-round pick and a conditional 2021 selection) heading back to the Rams. That sounds good, though the Packers would have to figure out how to get a $12 million cap hit onto the books this year and over the next three seasons as well.
Did Green Bay overpay for Dean Lowry? | Packer Report
Given the contracts that interior defensive linemen got in free agency this offseason, it seems that the Packers may have misjudged the market. Lowry got nearly $7 million per year in new money last summer, and he failed to record a sack after having at least two in each of his first three years.
Brother of longtime Green Bay Packers nemesis offers playmaking potential in secondary | Packersnews.com
The Packers could be the NFC North team with a Diggs on the roster this year, with Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs being the brother of former Vikings receiver Stefon.
Man arrested after fire breaks out at U-Haul | KEZI.com
Shockingly, someone did something stupid that led to the fire. Man #1 was in his own car and threw a lit firework at a woman near a U-Haul truck. But Man #2 was underneath the truck stealing gas, and when the firework went off, it set gasoline on fire all across the parking lot, sending four trucks and the thief bursting into flames.