VIRTUAL LOCK
AIt took long enough, but the NFL seems to be taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously.
After floating the possibility last week that teams could conduct draft operations at their facilties, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told all 32 teams on Monday that they need to get ready for the entire NFL Draft to be online.
Goodell sent a memo to the entire league outlining the new protocol for the draft, which starts on April 23.
“As you know, our offices have been closed since March 13 and all club facilities have been closed since March 26. These steps were taken to protect our players and staffs, to model appropriate behavior, and to ensure competitive equity among all 32 clubs. Given current and expected conditions, and to ensure that we operate responsibly and in full compliance with current regulations, both league and club facilities will remain closed indefinitely. We will reopen facilities when it is safe to do so based on medical and public health advice, and in compliance with government mandates.
“Because of these circumstances, clubs have been advised to prepare to conduct the 2020 Draft entirely outfacilities side of their and in a fully virtual format, with club personnel in separate locations and able to communicate with one another and draft headquarters by phone or internet. We have reviewed this matter in the past few days with both the Competition Committee and the CEC, and this will confirm that clubs will conduct their draft operations remotely, with club personnel separately located in their homes.”
That’s a bit of a different tune from the letter that was acquired by the Associated Press late last week, which had two options outlined: Draft at the team facilities or draft in small groups at a remote location. Now, each personnel member involved with the draft will be sitting by themselves.
How teams choose to operate their draft will be up to them, but they are being forced to stay away from each other.
How this affects draft-day operations obviously has yet to be seen. Normally, teams huddle up at their facilities with the owner, coaches, personnel department, and some scouts operating the draft. Those interactions are usually televised as a part of the draft broadcast, so the networks