NFL News Offseason Style

[JoeRedskin]

So the draft is pushed back two weeks in order to stretch out the offseason. While I think it isn't a "bad" move in that it harms the game in any significant way. With rookie slotting, it really has sped up the signing process such that I don't see the two fewer weeks of negotiations causing any hold outs. Rookies can still participate in OTA's and other team events while unsigned so, again, I am not seeing any significant developmental time lost.

At the same time, I just don't see any reason for it - the draft process is already interminable. Pretty soon, instead of three days, they are going to stretch it over an entire week with one round a day - all in prime time (and the 7th round will still have better ratings than the PGA).

More concerned that they screw around with the playoffs. If it is expanded, we will start getting teams with losing records going to the play-offs. It is an imperfect system now, but it really creates interesting games through the year b/c each game has value. We go 6-1 over the stretch last year and the Giants win the Division and we stay home (I think that's how it would have worked).

Of course, since expanded play-offs mean expanded profit (and probably more money to players), I imagine it is only a matter of time. Soon the Super Bowl will be in March as teams play 16 games to eliminate four teams and then a three month single elimination tournament to get rid of 26 more. <sigh>