For NFL, how and when at forefront of season
Now that the draft’s over, we look at the biggest offseason questions facing the league.
The 2020 NFL draft is in the books, and now we wait.
Uncertainty looms over many aspects of pro football because of the nation-wide coronavirus restrictions. But like the rest of us, and as we saw with the draft, the NFL is trying to make do.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest offseason questions that remain unresolved.
What’s next on the NFL timeline?
Although packaged and presented differently, the NFL draft brought a feeling of normalcy to the league, its teams and fans However, now returns the reality that things are not at all the same.
In normal situations, veteran offseason conditioning programs would resume next week, and players would start hitting the field for those voluntary practices. And usually, rookie minicamps take place within a week or two after the draft. None of that will happen in a normal fashion, however, as facilities remain closed because of coronavirus-related restrictions.
So, the next big event is the regularseason schedule release, expected sometime during the first full week of May.
A full 16-game slate, including international games, will be revealed at that time.
Of course, the schedule release unveiling will take place with an asterisk. The NFL is planning as if at least a degree of normalcy will have returned, and that training camp and the season will kick off on time. But no one really knows if that will happen.
How will the rookie acclimation process unfold?
This year’s rookie class will encounter rare challenges.
Veteran coaches and players liken it to 2011 when the lockout prevented teams from holding offseason workouts and practices. That situation severely hampered the learning process for rookies, and this year will present similar obstacles for first-year players.
Fortunately for this year’s rookies, they are permitted to have contact with their coaches, which wasn’t the case during the lockout. But they still do not have access to team facilities.
There will be no traditional rookie minicamp, which means no practice reps. That also prevents undrafted players from receiving tryout opportunities.
NFL teams plan to hold virtual rookie minicamps, which will feature Zoom
conferences with position coaches, film study sessions and orientations with player development directors.
The hope is these video sessions along with the full squad virtual meetings will give rookies a knowledge base to ease their transition once they finally get on the field.
How much longer must Newton wait?
As teams filled key needs through the draft, the free-agent market shrunk for veterans still out of work.
One of the league’s most prominent players remains without a job, and it’s unclear when Cam Newton’s situation will change.
The former Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2015 league MVP continues to train and wait for an opportunity. But the coronavirus restrictions have a lot to do with why he remains unsigned.
With facilities still closed, teams remain unable to give Newton a physical.
Real questions remain about the condition of his surgically repaired shoulder and foot, and teams want their own doctors to run Newton through in-depth examinations before making a commitment to him. The only other problem is it’s unclear what teams actually remain in need of a starting quarterback.
The Bengals, Dolphins and Chargers drafted quarterbacks in the first round. As the first overall pick, Joe Burrow seemingly would have a good shot at starting Day 1, and Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick could each serve as the bridge quarterbacks for the Chargers and Dolphins. In my book, Newton would represent an upgrade over Taylor and Fitzpatrick, but it’s unclear if either team’s coaching staffs would agree.
That leaves the Jaguars and Patriots as the teams that seem to have the least amount of stability at quarterback.
Is Jarrett Stidham really the man? That brings us to our next question. The Patriots in a surprising move did not use a draft pick on a quarterback. That leaves 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham and journeyman Bryan Hoyer as the favorites to take over with Tom Brady now in Tampa Bay.
Bill Belichick gave both players a vote of confidence following the draft.
“I like both those players,” Belichick told reporters. “We’ve had Brian a couple times. I think he certainly gives us a very solid level of play. And we have a lot of confidence in him. Jarrett had a good year last year. He improved a lot, and we’ll see where that takes him. Yeah, I have confidence in both players.”
But really, what is he supposed to say? Belichick wouldn’t disclose a lack of confidence in either, and if he does have his eye on a veteran like Cam Newton, or if he’s waiting to see if the Bengals call offering Andy Dalton, or the Colts offer or release Jacoby Brissett, he wouldn’t reveal that either.
So, the Pats QB watch will continue. It wouldn’t at all be surprising if Belichick does pull off a move for one of the aforementioned veterans. But, rolling with Stidham does feel like the ultimate Patriot move. Belichick once turned the 199th pick of the draft into the greatest quarterback of all time, and he has won games with Matt Cassel, Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo. So, what’s to say Stidham isn’t really his guy?