While the NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS have been dealing with the coronavirus during their respective seasons, the spread of the coronavirus is affecting the NFL in other ways.
The Eagles are not having their coaches attend college pro days in part as a precautionary measure as the virus spreads, NBC Sports Philadelphia confirmed. Yahoo! Sports first reported the news.
That’s not the only reason though.
While the coronavirus is playing a role in the Eagles’ decision, there are more factors like several new coaches getting acclimated and preparing for free agency. With the health risk and those other factors, the Eagles decided they would be better served with their coaches staying put at the NovaCare Complex.
Eagles scouts will still be at pro days over the next couple months.
The Yahoo! report said the Saints have also pulled their coaches from the pro-day circuit. The Saints have disputed the report.
So what does this mean for the Eagles?
NFL
Well, after compensatory picks were officially announced on Tuesday, the Eagles have 10 picks in the upcoming draft. Pulling their coaches from pro days could theoretically limit the pool of information they’ll get over the next month about prospects.
But Eagles coaches were in Indianapolis for the combine last month and were at the Senior Bowl before that, so they have been able to meet plenty of prospects already. And the Eagles will still have their top 30 visits, which will offer them the chance to bring in 30 non-local prospects to their building. And they’ll have local visits too.
According to Yahoo!, the University of Tennessee is still expecting Doug Pederson to be their keynote speaker at the 2020 football coaches clinic later this month. That clinic is just before the NFL’s annual meetings in West Palm Beach, Florida, from March 29-April 1.
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