NFL IS OK – FOR NOW

With all the other sports on hold while its draft and even — still — its free-agency signing period are being discussed anywhere and everywhere, what could possibly go wrong for the NFL and all its member teams, including the Browns?

Seemingly nothing, right? The NFL is OK.

Perhaps.

Or perhaps not.

It is indeed possible that a lot could go wrong.

The coronavirus pandemic has shut down major league baseball, the NBA and the NHL, all of which should be in their seasons right now. And as tough of a decision as it was, the people running those sports knew they were doing the right thing. Business is life and death only in a sense. It’s not really that. But stuff like the pandemic is.

These people and their sports are being praised from every corner for that move. Wow, those big-shot sports guys do have hearts after all, don’t they?

The NFL, on the other hand, has forged ahead almost – not totally, but almost – as if there is nothing out of the ordinary going on. Other than making a few changes to its draft, including de-centralizing it to a great degree to observe social distancing orders, and not releasing its schedule until after the draft in three weeks, whereas the two events are usually interchanged, it has been business as usual.

The league is taking some harsh criticism from even its most ardent supporters in the media for being so brazen and narrow-minded. Ditto after the league announced it has the expectation of starting its regular season on time.

On top of that, once the draft is over, the NFL will join all the other sports in having its plug pulled as far as getting onto the field is concerned. No rookie minicamps. No full-squad minicamps. No OTAs. No nothing until further notice.

Talk about leveling the playing field.

But unlike the other sports, which shut down when they had to and will be reaping positive vibes from the fans when play is eventually resumed, the NFL might end up, at least initially, spending more time answering tough questions than it will discussing all those high-profile draftees.

And if that happens, then the NFL will have only itself to blame.

NFL is OK – For Now by Steve King

More Cleveland Browns News

• “Stuck In Minnesota, Browns Coach Adjusts To ‘Strange Times’” (AP)
• Joe Thomas All-Decade (Browns Daily Dose)
• “Joe Thomas explains the challenges facing rookie left tackles, and who best fits the Browns’ offense” (cleveland.com)
• “Baker Mayfield killing his garage workouts” (PFT)
• Good for the Haslams (Browns Daily Dose)
• “Jarvis Landry donates $15,000 of hygiene products to East Cleveland families” (WKYC)

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