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NFL Talks War Room Guidelines, Possible Time-Limit Changes for 2020 Draft

Adam Wells

The NFL has outlined a plan for teams to operate their war room during the 2020 NFL draft as well as potential changes for the amount of time between picks. 

On a conference call with reporters (h/t NFL Network's Ian Rapoport), NFL executive vice president Peter O'Reilly said teams can have 10 or fewer people in a room and they must be at least six feet apart.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, O'Reilly also noted the league will focus on "good role modeling" with everyone in the room practicing proper hygiene and anyone with a fever or upper respiratory illness ordered to stay away. 

Pelissero added the league will use all three days of the draft to raise money for "the most vulnerable and others in need" due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations, told reporters the competition committee is looking into extending the amount of time for teams to make draft-day trades by one to two minutes after a number of general managers expressed their concern about the process. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams in a memo last week the draft will go on as scheduled from April 23-25. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini, general managers voiced a number of concerns about going through with the draft right now:

"General managers are concerned that, in this current environment, with offseason activities canceled and some teams' facilities closed, there won't be enough time for player physicals, gathering psychological testing, getting further verified information about the players and some teams having to conduct the draft from home."

On March 14, the NFL announced teams were banned from conducting any in-person visits with draft-eligible prospects as part of restrictions due to the pandemic. 

On March 16, the CDC recommended canceling or virtually conducting all events that require a gathering of more than 10 people through at least March 31. 

Under current NFL rules, teams are given 10 minutes between picks in the first round, seven minutes in the second round, five minutes between rounds three through six and four minutes in round seven. 

   

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