April NFL draft on schedule, no public events in Las Vegas
NEW YORK – The NFL will proceed with its draft but without public events next month in Las Vegas. It's not yet clear, however, if the draft itself will be held in the city.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday the draft will take place April 2325 as scheduled, but under a modified format still being developed. The draft will be televised regardless of its venue or format.
“In consideration of current information related to COVID-19 and guidance from medical experts such as the CDC, and in coordination with public authorities in Nevada and the city of Las Vegas, the NFL will modify its plans” the league said in a statement.
The NFL says it is exploring “innovative options” for how the process will be handled and will provide that information as it becomes available.
“This decision reflects our foremost priority: the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” Goodell said.
“While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the city of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”
Next year's draft is scheduled for Cleveland, and the 2022 draft has not been awarded, though Los Angeles has been considered the favorite. Kansas City has the 2023 draft.
Agent: Cousins, Vikings agree to 2-year contract extension
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings
and quarterback Kirk Cousins have agreed to a two-year contract extension, his agent Mike Mccartney said Monday.
Mccartney made the announcement on his verified Twitter account. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
Cousins was entering the final season of the fully guaranteed, three-year, $84 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2018.
He was scheduled to carry a $31 million charge to Minnesota's salary cap in 2020, so the impetus for doing a new deal now was to provide the team with some immediate relief while giving Cousins some additional security.
Cousins had a career-best season in 2019, ranking fourth in the NFL with a 107.4 passer rating and leading the Vikings to a wild card round win in the playoffs at New Orleans.