ESPN3’s “Free Agency Countdown” show debuted today at 2:00pmET, with the net taking a new approach to the two-hour window before the NFL’s free agency period officially opened. The digital-only program was a behind-the-scenes look at how ESPN’s front office insiders collect their news, featuring the net’s top NFL talent seated at a roundtable equipped with a bevy of phones and laptops. The program started off with a news break from Chris Mortenson revealing the Cowboys were more likely to trade QB Tony Romo than grant his outright release. Conversation then shifted to what team could deal for Romo, with both Bill Polian and Ed Werder providing insight.
Josina Anderson and Adam Caplan routinely stepped away from the table to take calls mid-program. The show after about 30 minutes debuted its “Schefter Cam,” which showed Adam Schefter working the phones and using his laptop, though the program did not provide audio for the calls.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio caused waves earlier in the day by disagreeing with Schefter’s earlier assertion that the Patriots would not trade QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Florio told Boston-based WEEI-FM's "The Kirk & Callahan Show” this was a message that is “being sent by Bill Belichick through Adam Schefter to the rest of the league” to enter trade discussions with leverage.
