Virus doesn’t halt free agency
The NFL’s off-the-field business has joined most of the rest of the country in full workfrom-home mode, turning signings and trades into tests of patience and technology.
Conducting a free agency period during a global pandemic has produced complications well beyond the usual salary-cap constraints.
“It is an offseason unlike any other I have experienced in my three decades in the business,” said Drew Rosenhaus, whose agency Rosenhaus Sports represents more than 100 players in the league.
Because team facilities have closed out of concern for the spread of the coronavirus, players have not been able to take the physical exams required to finalize contracts with team physicians.
In some cases, both sides have been able to alternatively agree on a third-party doctor in the player’s home area. In other situations, the process has hit some snags of disagreement.
“Every team prefers their own doctors for the player they’re giving millions of dollars to, to do a physical, so I understand where teams are coming from,” said Ron Slavin, of the Sportstars agency. “But we’re in this situation where you would hope everybody would work together to make it right.”
The NFL changed course on Thursday, allowing teams to announce agreements they have reached with free agents, as well as trades that are formally submitted to the league. Though the NFL’s new business year began on Wednesday, the league initially instructed teams to hold back direct confirmations of those transactions because they are not considered official until players have passed physicals and contracts are signed. The agreements and trades leaked out anyway.
So the market is open, but not as wide as normal. The NFL does not allow electronic signatures on contracts, requiring plenty of printing, scanning and sending.
The biggest move made on Thursday? Todd Gurley got cut by the Los Angeles Rams, less than two years after one of the game’s best rushers got a big new deal.
Plagued by injury lately, Gurley will still count $20.15 million against the salary cap for the Rams. He signed a fouryear, $60 million contract with $45 million guaranteed in June 2018, but after helping the Rams win the NFC that season, he hurt his left knee. That slowed him considerably, first in the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl, then throughout the 2019 season. He rushed for a career-low 857 yards last year, playing sparingly.
His release can’t be comforting to other running backs around the NFL. If Gurley is expendable — yes, the contract and injury played a key role — then can any running back feel secure?
In other news:
• The Detroit Lions agreed to trade their best cornerback, Darius Slay, to Philadelphia. Rosenhaus confirmed the deal and that Slay has agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension with the Eagles. Slay sought a new contract before last season and did not attend Detroit’s mandatory minicamp. He ended up reporting to training camp and drew a third career Pro Bowl selection.
• The Vikings added defensive tackle Michael Pierce, formerly of the Ravens, and brought back kicker Dan Bailey and backup quarterback Sean Mannion.