NFL Rumors: XFL Players Can Sign NFL Contracts After 2020 Season Suspension

With the XFL suspending its inaugural season due to the spread of the coronavirus, the upstart league is reportedly advising players that they can now sign with NFL teams should opportunities present themselves. 

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the XFL will complete exit physicals on Friday and players will be free to agree to new deals in other leagues. All XFL players will still be paid their base salary and receive benefits for the 2020 regular season, the league announced on Thursday. 

NFL free agency is scheduled to commence on March 18. However, there is a possibility the league pushes back the start date due to the virus and pending collective bargaining agreement. 

While the XFL plans to resume playing games in 2021, the 2020 season ends after just five weeks with the Houston Roughnecks undefeated at 5-0. 

Roughnecks quarterback PJ Walker led the league in passing with 1,338 yards and 15 touchdowns. His QB rating (104.4) was second to that of Los Angeles Wildcats quarterback Josh Johnson (106.3), who passed for 1,076 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Along with Walker and Johnson, Pelissero also expects quarterback Jordan Ta'amu of the St. Louis Battlehawks will receive interest from the NFL. 

Whether or not the NFL opens free agency on March 18 as scheduled remains to be seen. On Thursday, the league announced it would not be postponing the official start of the new league year, which also happens to be March 18. The league did, however, cancel its spring owners meeting at the end of March.

Multiple NFL teams have already called scouts back from their trips and have closed training facilities to help limit the spread of COVID-19. That's likely to impact the free-agent market. Teams are permitted to begin contract discussions with players on March 16. 

According to CNN, there are currently 1,272 cases of the coronavirus in the United States with 38 deaths.