The NFL Draft went through plenty of changes with this year's virtual setup, which was necessary due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event went off without a hitch, surprisingly to some after only having six weeks to alter the draft and prepare for the unprecedented event.
There were some noticeable changes that may stick around regarding the draft process and how future drafts are held. One interesting alteration may not have to do with the NFL itself, but how general managers and coaches spend their time preparing for the draft.
CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco joined the Pick Six Podcast with Will Brinson to discuss the biggest potential change.
"Everybody liked the idea of not being at the facility all the time. It's been one of those unwritten rules -- if you're not at the facility, you're not working, which is garbage," Prisco said. "This has taught a lot of guys you can still do as much work as you always do, you just work better. One thing that will come out of this draft is, these guys watch more tape than they ever watched. I know guys that are talking about maybe working one or two days a week from home in the offseason when this is done."
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The "working from home" portion would make general managers and scouting staffs more efficient, changing the process of the NFL offseason and the way business is done. The process leading up to the draft could change, but how business is run during the draft isn't expected to shift.
"I think they'll be back in the facility (this time next year)," Prisco said. "It's easier to be in a room with 20 guys then five. I think you got to re-evaluate. This has taught guys a valuable lesson that you can still have family time and work. This was one of the easiest things they ever had to do."
The next order of business the NFL needs to address is the 2020 schedule, which is scheduled to come out next week. Prisco shared some information on the league's thought process when making the schedule and how they plan to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They're looking at -- let's say the season is delayed. The schedule comes out and you see all the games from the opposite conference you're playing, they would be in the first four weeks," Prisco said. "If they have to chop off those games, they can play the conference games in the 12-week schedule do you don't have to knock off the division or conference games.
"If it comes out as a normal schedule -- we're playing on, baby."
