If the season is delayed, the NFL Supplemental Draft becomes a big deal

Poptimus

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Normally, very few players declare for the Supplemental Draft held in July. But with the threat of COVID-19 delaying the season or putting the entire season in doubt and nothing quite normal, it is expected a significant number of college players petition to enter the Supplemental Draft this year. NFL teams would then draft them this July and spend a 2021 pick on them.

It is a tiered draft process whereby teams with 6 or fewer wins the previous year are put in one group, teams with 7 wins or more that didn't make the playoffs are in the next group, and playoff teams form the last group. There is a lottery within each group for positioning and the tiers are then grouped accordingly. Those teams then advise Goodell what round 2021 pick they are willing to spend on a player.

The wrinkle is guys with only 2 years college experience are currently ineligible, unless the NFL were to revise the rules or allow for a waiver this year. So Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Greg Rousseau, and Brevin Jordan can't declare, but guys like Travis Etienne, Chuba Hubbard, and Devonta Smith can. Of course, we'll probably see a few Hurricanes declare because that's what Hurricanes do.
 
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But would the same consideration be in play if the NFL 2020 season were also at risk? Some questions if the 2020 NFL season is cancelled outright:

- Do athletes still accrue a year against their contracts?
- Do athletes still get paid during the suspended year? During the cancelled 2020 season, there would be no TV revenue and no ticket sales. There would be some merchandise, but that's it.
 
But would the same consideration be in play if the NFL 2020 season were also at risk? Some questions if the 2020 NFL season is cancelled outright:

- Do athletes still accrue a year against their contracts?
- Do athletes still get paid during the suspended year? During the cancelled 2020 season, there would be no TV revenue and no ticket sales. There would be some merchandise, but that's it.
Most contracts contain a Force Majeure provision, but these are very narrowly interpreted by courts and not the same in each state. If a Force Majeure clause states that performance is impossible due to, say, earthquakes and volcanos, but does not reference diseases/viruses, courts won't allow those to render performance impossible. And most contracts did not include reference to diseases/viruses/outbreaks, etc which is why they're all being reworked going forward.

There may be other language in NFL player contracts that defines if they get paid or not, but I tend to think they have to play to be paid barring some real air tight Force Majeure language. With so much money at stake, it could drag on until the following season in court with no settlement. This is why the NFL is going to have some semblance of a season, there simply is too much money at stake. It's a different animal compared to college with player salaries and whatnot.

With the Supplemental Draft just 2 months away, many (including John Elway) expect a big number of college players declare.
 
I'm not so sure the supplemental draft will be any bigger of a deal than usual. Because the cfb and NFL seasons are both uncertain, and any draftee will most likely not collect a nickel this year if the NFL season is cancelled, it doesn't make sense to leave. But not making sense hasn't stopped UM players from leaving early before.
 
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it’s a valid point. 🤷‍♂️ This past few months has taught us all, during this pandemic, it’s day by day. I guess we’ll see. I’m still betting that the new normal, looks very similar to the old one. The moment this thing is no longer a threat, same old same old. Until than, all bets are off.
 
Most contracts contain a Force Majeure provision, but these are very narrowly interpreted by courts and not the same in each state. If a Force Majeure clause states that performance is impossible due to, say, earthquakes and volcanos, but does not reference diseases/viruses, courts won't allow those to render performance impossible. And most contracts did not include reference to diseases/viruses/outbreaks, etc which is why they're all being reworked going forward.

There may be other language in NFL player contracts that defines if they get paid or not, but I tend to think they have to play to be paid barring some real air tight Force Majeure language. With so much money at stake, it could drag on until the following season in court with no settlement. This is why the NFL is going to have some semblance of a season, there simply is too much money at stake. It's a different animal compared to college with player salaries and whatnot.

With the Supplemental Draft just 2 months away, many (including John Elway) expect a big number of college players declare.

Another interesting, but not unsurprising wrinkle to all this: business interruption insurance.

As I've read and talked with a few folks (restaurantuers), the policies aren't being paid out at all.

I looked into a policy a few years back and just found too many "but they won't pay in x, y, z , a , b, c ,d, etc situations".

Expensive with no true benefit that I could determine (for my situation).

Anyone having positive/negative experience with it?
 
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I'm not so sure the supplemental draft will be any bigger of a deal than usual. Because the cfb and NFL seasons are both uncertain, and any draftee will most likely not collect a nickel this year if the NFL season is cancelled, it doesn't make sense to leave. But not making sense hasn't stopped UM players from leaving early before.
Most people expect both to play some form of a season, albeit possibly truncated and/or pushed back. If the college season lasts until Spring, it’s a risk for players who could get a minor injury and miss the Combine or a major injury and be out the entire 2021 NFL season, not to mention a big negative draft impact for either scenario. It appears players may have to declare for the Supplemental Draft in just 2 months from now, when much of this could remain unknown.
 
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It’s definitely something to watch but I doubt you would see much beyond the guys with legit 1st round grades explore that. NFL teams that use a supplemental pick have to forfeit that same pick in the following 2021 draft and they are only going to do that for somebody really good. Every team already has a full 20 draft class plus all the udfa they have signed. Still only 53 roster spots.
 
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