The 2020 NFL regular season schedule is set to be released on Thursday and the Eagles early-season opponents could look a little different.
In past seasons the Eagles have opened up against a division opponent or someone from the NFC but the COVID-19 pandemic threatening football activities, the NFL has taken steps to protect the most important matchups.
John Clayton of 710 ESPN confirmed to Doug Farrar of USA TODAY Sports Media Group that the league has discussed having all 32 teams begin the season with four out-of-conference games as a scheduling precaution in case the season needs to be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As we discussed on Tuesday, the Eagles will play four teams from a division in the AFC on a rotating four-year cycle (Bal, Cle, Pit, Cin) in 2020.
For the NFL, those games are considered the least important in terms of determining division winners and playoff standings.
The Eagles are scheduled to host the Ravens and Bengals while traveling to face the Browns and Steelers if Clayton is correct.
Last season, the Ravens were the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Steelers were besieged by injuries, yet nearly made the playoffs. Cleveland has a new coach in Kevin Stefanski, while the Bengals have Joe Burrows under center now after parting ways with Andy Dalton.
If Clayton is correct, it shapes up for an exciting first month of the season, with the prospects for the Eagles to start 3-1 and no worse than 2-2.