NFL Draft will go on as scheduled, at least one team preparing for no football activities until training camp

Roger Goodell has informed NFL teams that the draft will go forward as scheduled on April 23, through the 25th, according to Adam Schefter.

"I have personally discussed this matter with many other owners, club executives and coaches, and there is widespread support for the (executive committee's) conclusion (to go forward)," Goodell wrote. "... there is no assurance that we can select a different date and be confident that conditions will be significantly more favorable than they are today. I also believe that the draft can serve a very positive purpose for our clubs, our fans and the country at large, and many of you have agreed."

Goodell also went on to say the draft will need to be conducted and televised in a different way, which reflects the current conditions.

Teams are being told to plan to "conduct draft operations outside of their facility, with a limited number of people present, and with sufficient technology resources to all you to communicate internally, with other clubs, and with draft headquarters."

Additionally, a league source told BostonSportsJournal.com that his team has been told to prepare for no offseason practices or any football-related activities at the team facility for some time. The hope is the football activities will be allowed to resume in late July or early August, which is normally when training camp starts.

Of course, things could happen before then, but there isn't much optimism for that. There would have to be much advancement in the area of testing and treatment for Covid-19 because the fear is, if one player or coach tests positive, it would shut everything down again across the league, then the timetable is pushed back even further.

For example, if a player tests positive on the Patriots in early August, the facilities across the NFL would be closed for sanitization and the entire league likely wouldn't be able to resume until ever player, coach and staffer was re-tested. The NFL is not going to send one team home for one or two weeks, while allowing the other 31 teams to continue their season prep.

The league will proceed, when it can and conditions are favorable, with an abundance of caution because a false step forward could lead to the postponement and cancellation of games.

The NFL has lucked out to this point that the pandemic in the U.S. hit after the season was concluded. Being rash in going forward would be pressing the league's luck and put its season in danger with the other major sports.

The less offseason prep time, the more it is to the advantage of veteran teams with continuity with coaches, and not many free agents that need to learn new systems and teammates. The Patriots would be in a good position across much of its roster. It would likely have an adverse effect on Tom Brady's foray in Tampa.