The NFL waited a surprisingly long time to release official COVID-19 testing policies, which in effect has slowed the start of an already delayed and watered down training camp for the NY Giants.
After getting off to a seemingly strong start to their offseason working around the COVID-19 Pandemic to successfully pull off the 2020 NFL Draft, the NFL has now been eerily slow in rolling out testing procedures that are having teams like the NY Giants being forced to push back the official start of training camp even further.
You’d think a massive organization like the NFL that has had the luxury of watching other organizations like the UFC pull off major events would have had a much stronger plan, much earlier on, but the baselines were not announced until Monday and teams like the NY Giants are still even waiting on even more clarity before they officially kick off training camp.
Every single day from here on out is going to count big time with the official announcement of no preseason games, and even though the NY Giants have a distinct geographical advantage over most teams due to their practice facilities being in the same parking lot as their home office, they are still at the mercy of the NFL when it comes to this matter.
The NY Jets, for instance, were slated to start camp days earlier than the NY Giants but they still have not gotten back their COVID testing results after putting a halt on the procedure seeking more info from the NFL on Monday when the tests were supposed to start in earnest to get the rookies on the field by Wednesday.
What are the testing policies and how are they affecting the NY Giants?
In a small bit of luck for the NY Giants, they at least get to watch their counterparts and in-town rivals in the Jets go through this process first which undoubtedly gives them a small advantage.
However, according to the New York Post, Big Blue’s process may even be more difficult to navigate for several reasons.
Via Brian Costello of the NY Post:
"The situation is similar — if slightly more complicated — for the Giants. Rookies, quarterbacks and injured veterans are scheduled to report Thursday but even that plan is on hold until there is more clarity regarding agreed-upon COVID-19 testing procedures. The rookies have been told to stay put at home and not travel to New Jersey, league sources told The Post.The Giants have only signed one of their 10 draft picks, though agreements are in place with certain late-round picks pending a physical, per sources. Those physicals — scheduled to be spread over the course of the weekend — cannot happen until camp opens."
In other words, NY Giants fans should not be expecting their full-scale training camp to begin July 28th as thought, as a messy situation has gotten messier due to the NFL dragging its feet on COVID testing regulations.
The team was already supposed to have started the entire testing process by today (Thursday), which would have gotten rookies, QB’s and injured players in the building to be tested and begin their mandatory quarantines that once completed would allow them to begin practicing with a negative test result.
Expect these situations to only get more difficult as we get deeper into training camp and closer to the regular season as these are really unchartered waters, and even though the NFL has had the UFC’s model to somewhat work off, the number of total bodies needed in the sport is much larger, in turn, making the NY Giants’ offseason even more difficult, if that was even possible.
Thank God we have a young franchise QB in Daniel Jones that has been stepping up and being a leader all offseason, and that the other most important skill position player, Saquon Barkley, has been here for two years and his position doesn’t require a whole heap of on-field drilling these days.
Poor Joe Judge, who has had to deal with a litany of crazy circumstances as he looks to take over a struggling franchise with little significant coaching experience.
Lucky for us NY Giants fans, he seems like the type of coach that can and will adapt to the craziness around him.
Only time will tell.