New York Post - 13.03.2020

New York Post, Friday, March 13, 2020

nypost.com

By Paul Schwartz

In response to the growing na-

tional and global implications of

COVID-19, the Giants and Jets are

pulling all their coaches and

scouts off the road during this

busy time for player evaluations

leading into the NFL draft.

The coronavirus pandemic has

affected professional and college

sports with unprecedented post-

ponements, cancellations and

suspensions of seasons and post-

season tournaments. The NFL is

in its offseason and thus it is a

much quieter time for the league.

Not so, though, for coaches and

scouts, who normally travel to

Pro Days during this period. For

instance, on Wednesday, the Gi-

ants had representatives on the

campuses of Oklahoma and Wis-

consin, watching and speaking

with the many NFL prospects at

those two schools.

Canceling travel for coaches

and scouts is in keeping with the

way many teams are responding

to the coronavirus outbreak.

The NFL has not banned visits

for pre-draft players, though NFL

teams have begun canceling

those visits at their discretion.

NFL teams are allowed to bring in

30 draft-eligible players for work-

outs, interviews and medical ex-

aminations at their team facilities.

The Giants will keep their per-

sonnel off the road “for the foresee-

able future’’ and have suspended all

business travel. The team will limit

visitors to their practice and train-

ing facility and will require most

employees to work from home for

the next two weeks.

It is not as if the Giants, or any

other NFL team, will be unable to

properly prepare for the draft,

which is slated to begin April 23

in Las Vegas. Scouts spent the en-

tire season observing, grading

and evaluating players, and the

scouting combine during the last

week of February in Indianapolis

was akin to a football convention,

with interviews, on-field work-

outs and medical information

gathered by teams on the invited

prospects.

Pro Days and pre-draft visits by

players at the team facility pro-

vide additional background and

information, but the heavy lifting

has already been completed.

“There’s so much information

on guys,’’ Giants general manager

Dave Gettleman said at the scout-

ing combine. “We have a director

of security, we have all these me-

dia people. We research the heck

out of guys. Obviously, you have

friends in the league. ‘Hey, there’s

a guy on such and such team, you

were there last year, can you tell

me about him if you’re not inter-

ested in him?’ But you have to be

proactive about that.’’

➤Giants center Jon Halapio did

quite well for himself by earning

$306,081 in performance-based

pay for 2019. Halapio started 15

games and cashed in, based on a

formula factoring in playing time

to salary made the previous sea-

son. Halapio’s base salary last

season was $645,000.

[email protected]

By Paul Schwartz

There is no such thing as business as usual amid a

global pandemic, but the NFL’s league year will start

as scheduled Wednesday and, at this point, free

agency will not be altered by the rising ripple-effects

of the coronavirus outbreak.

The free-agent negotiating window, commonly re-

ferred to as the league tampering period, will begin

at noon on Monday, with teams able to speak with

agents and set parameters on player contracts. This

can all be done remotely and thus the league has no

issue in allowing the business of the league to com-

mence. Teams can announce signings two days later.

Most of the major early deals are consummated

without any personal contact. Free-agent visits this

year will be at the discretion of the individual teams

and likely will not come off, considering the COV-

ID-19 scare limiting travel across the nation.

The NFL on Thursday canceled its annual meet-

ing, which had been scheduled for March 29-April 1

in Palm Beach, Fla. Owners from every team, general

managers and head coaches attend this meeting, but

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell notified all teams

the meeting was canceled.

A statement issued by the league read in part,

“This decision was made consistent with the

league’s primary concern to protect the health of

club and league employees and the public while ena-

bling the league to continue with its essential busi-

ness operations.’’

The football business normally discussed at the

annual meeting will be taken up at the May 19 meet-

ing, with rule changes and other football matters on

the table. Coaches and general managers are ex-

pected to attend that meeting.

NFL eyes no delay to league year,

but has canceled annual meeting

CORONAVIRUS

IN FOOTBALL