The coronavirus shutdown has made it harder for NFL players and teams to schedule physical exams, and Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman says that’s been a consideration for his team in free agency.

Gettleman said that he wouldn’t want to agree to a big contract with a player, only to find out after a delay in scheduling a physical that the player can’t be medically cleared to play.

“There is a little bit of a lean toward people you know in free agency,” Gettleman said. “Times have changed. I know back in the day in free agency you had time to bring a guy in. You could spend a day with him to get to know him. Now we are speed dating and the decision happens before you can get a guy in in the building, before you can get a physical, and that’s even before COVID-19. I don’t think it’s any more sensitive, but I do know for us a big concern was the medical piece. We are making decisions and you are building your roster. Just think about what happens if you sign a high dollar guy and he doesn’t pass his physical, now where are you? Now you have spent in free agency and now the draft and you think you have your team set and you put together what you think is a good roster. Then, all of the sudden, a guy doesn’t pass his physical. The guys we signed, we felt we got good value and we are very pleased with the group.”

Although Gettleman didn’t name players he’s concerned about from a medical perspective, pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney would certainly fall into the camp of free agents who have some medical question marks. Despite some early talk that Clowney could be a good fit for the Giants, it doesn’t appear that they’re moving in that direction.

Dave Gettleman: Giants being cautious on players with medical questions originally appeared on Pro Football Talk