The 2020 NFL season is on the horizon, but there are issues facing the 32 franchises. While some barriers are more fixable than others, all have to be addressed before a team is able to hoist Vince Lombardi trophy in Tampa in February.
5. Schedule
All teams will have to deal with changes to the NFL’s schedule, with the Covid-19 pandemic enabling their routine in-person workouts. The players will have to get prepared for the upcoming season by utilizing virtual offseason programs and training camps. Once underway, select games on the schedule will take on more importance, as there is now another playoff spot up for grabs in both conferences.
4. Talent Evaluation
Offseason transactions will be more difficult on NFL teams this season. With no real training camps and a shortened preseason, there will be less time for franchises to evaluate the talent on their rosters. If decisions are made in haste, they could result in serious ramifications later on in the season. We have all seen a player cut in the preseason turn their future around in January. Therefore, the likelihood of that happening this year is sure to rise.
3. Home Field Advantage
One of the biggest factors of winning on Sunday is where the game is played, and in front of whom. Precautions have to be taken to stop the spread of the aforementioned virus. One of those is the strong likelihood of no fans in the stands when the season starts in September.
Several teams could be at a complete disadvantage without their home crowd. Could you imagine the Seahawks or the Saints without fans? It will be interesting to see how the league’s best home teams execute without their crowds.
2. Coaching And Front Office Changes
A slew of teams have new head coaches, while even more have new coordinators and front office members. The 2020 season will test the medal of many of coaches who in their first season with their new teams are forced to be a little less hands on.
It’s hard enough changing the culture of a franchise, but it’s even harder to do when you can’t gage talent or practice game plans in person. Coaching staffs this season will have their work cut out for them.
1. Quarterback Controversies & Questions
The most important position in football is the quarterback, and there have been several teams making drastic changes behind center. From the shocking drafting of backups to the releasing of franchise stars, there are a plethora of quarterback situations that have to be worked out if teams like Philadelphia, Green Bay and Chicago are to succeed this season.
Likewise, both Tom Brady and Philip Rivers are set to dawn new uniforms for the first time in their careers. Therefore, it’s safe to say that signal callers will be the most talked about thing in the NFL this year.
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