Just about every sporting event around the world has been either delayed or impacted in some way by the coronavirus outbreak, including the NCAA tournament and NBA season. It’s had minimal impact on the NFL compared to other leagues, but it could delay the start of the new league year this week.
It’s supposed to begin on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, which is also the official start of free agency, while the legal tampering period is set to open on Monday at 12 p.m. ET. It’s still possible for the NFL to postpone the start of the new league year, and if it does, a couple of Rams players could be impacted – and not the ones set to hit free agency.
Jared Goff and Todd Gurley will receive bonuses a few days after the start of the new league year, as will many other players across the NFL. Theirs rank among the biggest in the NFL, though, with Goff’s $21 million roster bonus being the highest of anyone.
Because these are tied to the start of the league year – Goff’s is paid on the second day of the new league year with Gurley’s coming on the third day – they could be delayed if Wednesday’s open is pushed back.
As of now, the NFL hasn’t decided whether it will remain on schedule this week, or if free agency will be pushed back. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration – traveling for required physicals and visiting facilities among the most important – which could put the start of the league year in jeopardy.
The NFL should announce a decision soon, especially with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday at noon.
