<
>

NFL details new free-agency procedures, delays offseason activities

The NFL announced special procedures for free agency and postponed the offseason training activities indefinitely on Monday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the NFL said that clubs aren't allowed to bring any free agent "to a club facility or other location to meet with club personnel. Further, club personnel, including members of the club medical staff, may not travel to any location to meet with or conduct a medical examination of a free agent player."

The statement said that the NFL and NFLPA are developing protocols that will allow prospective teams to review players' medical records from his previous club(s) and arrange for medical exams in a player's home city or "another nearby location."

The statement also said NFL teams are closing their facilities to players for the next two weeks. Only players undergoing medically supervised rehabilitation and treatment will be allowed to enter, according to the statement.

Also, the league said that offseason team activities won't start on April 6 for teams with new head coaches and on April 20 for all other clubs.

The NFL and NFLPA "will periodically meet and reassess the public health situation to determine an appropriate start date for any offseason team activities and other related considerations as this situation develops," the statement said.