NFL Alters Preseason Schedule Amid Ongoing Pandemic

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By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

While the NFL remains adamant that the season will start on time despite the ongoing pandemic.

On Wednesday, however, the league made it’s first major schedule change, outside the cancellation of the Hall of Fame game, according to Pro Footbal Talk.

The change will cut the preseason in half, meaning that there will only be two preseason games played by each team in 2020.

The reports are that what was originally preseason weeks one and four will be cut.

For the Eagles, they will lose games visiting the Colts and hosting the Jets. The Jets game is particularly damaging as the Eagles vs. Jets ending the preseason is a tradition that started when Andy Reid was head coach.

The remaining game are hosting the Patriots and taking a trip to the hot zone in Miami.

The major impact here is how it will impact development. The loss of those games will make teams need to balance both getting their starters some reps as well as allowing those otherwise outside the roster bubble the chance to grow and prove themselves.

For the Birds, those snaps will be critical for a receiving corps that is looking to get back a healthy Jackson and see if the injury-riddled Marquise Goodwin is worth keeping around while also getting to see snaps from young options Greg Ward, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Jalen Reagor, John Hightower and Quez Watkins. Further limiting the snaps between those players will make the decisions that need to be made that much more difficult.

No changes have been made to the 2020 regular season thus far.