18 Game Schedule.. Good or Bad?

[rypper11]

Having an 18 game season would make a developmental league even more important. Eliminating or reducing training camp and reducing preseason would hamper the shot of undrafted rookies and other longshots. This should further increase team revenue. My idea of this is each team in the developmental league has players allocated by NFL teams and play on Saturdays. Ex. Skins and Ravens each allocate 20 players to a team that plays on Saturdays in the Fall after the NFL season starts for 10 weeks. Thus, each team can have 73 players (allow 50 to dress on Sundays) while the other 20 can be brought to the active roster after the developmental league season is over. If a team wants to sign one of the Skins allocated players to their current roster the Skins have the right to either put him on their roster or let him go to the new team.

[Lotus]

I think that this whole issue will make negotiations for a new CBA very difficult. The owners are planting the seeds for player dissatisfaction and resistance.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Lotus

I think that this whole issue will make negotiations for a new CBA very difficult. The owners are planting the seeds for player dissatisfaction and resistance.

I agree. Even if they get more money, say on an annual basis, their leaders can turn right around and say that theres a good chance that some of you are going to end up loosing a year or two on your career. In other words you make more money playing 10 sixteen game season then you do playing 8 eighteen game seasons.

Originally Posted by irish

Speaking of riding a player too hard there's a good article in Sports Illustrated about RBs. Basically it says the era of the big franchise back is over as the NFL is a QB & passing league now. Its pretty much get a RB and run him into the ground and then plug someone else in. Shanny had a quote where he says you need great players in some positions but RB isnt one of them. Also RB is now one of the lowest paid positions reflecting the organizations not wanting to drop a lot of $ on a revolving door position.

Makes you wonder. Back in the day guys like Ryan Matthews might have been considered a steal in the top 10. Now it's, 'well at 14 he's a great pick but maybe they could have got him a little later.'

[irish]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

I agree. Even if they get more money, say on an annual basis, their leaders can turn right around and say that theres a good chance that some of you are going to end up loosing a year or two on your career. In other words you make more money playing 10 sixteen game season then you do playing 8 eighteen game seasons.




Makes you wonder. Back in the day guys like Ryan Matthews might have been considered a steal in the top 10. Now it's, 'well at 14 he's a great pick but maybe they could have got him a little later.'

Yes. I think coaches are starting to not see any reason to use a high pick on a plug in position. High picks are now for QBs, LTs, CBs & DEs.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

I agree. Even if they get more money, say on an annual basis, their leaders can turn right around and say that theres a good chance that some of you are going to end up loosing a year or two on your career. In other words you make more money playing 10 sixteen game season then you do playing 8 eighteen game seasons.




Makes you wonder. Back in the day guys like Ryan Matthews might have been considered a steal in the top 10. Now it's, 'well at 14 he's a great pick but maybe they could have got him a little later.'

The players right now are paid based on their being available to play in anywhere from 20 to 25 games per season (HOF game, pre-season, regular season, post season). Under the new system, players will be paid based on their being available to play in anywhere from 20 to 25 games per season. Therefore, I don't think players careers will necessarily be any shorter.

Further, its almost certain that the modified NFL season will include provisions to increase roster sizes, practice squad sizes, and game day roster sizes. Having more players available to take snaps means less snaps will be available to each individual player. I would actually think the modified season would ultimately wind up extending careers. For example, instead of teams using primarily one or two primary running backs during the season, they'll split the load more evenly between two or three.

[irish]

Originally Posted by rypper11

Having an 18 game season would make a developmental league even more important. Eliminating or reducing training camp and reducing preseason would hamper the shot of undrafted rookies and other longshots. This should further increase team revenue. My idea of this is each team in the developmental league has players allocated by NFL teams and play on Saturdays. Ex. Skins and Ravens each allocate 20 players to a team that plays on Saturdays in the Fall after the NFL season starts for 10 weeks. Thus, each team can have 73 players (allow 50 to dress on Sundays) while the other 20 can be brought to the active roster after the developmental league season is over. If a team wants to sign one of the Skins allocated players to their current roster the Skins have the right to either put him on their roster or let him go to the new team.

Play on Saturdays in the fall, that's when colleges play and there is no way tv will cover these teams over college football. Plus the added cost of operating these teams is something the owners will never go for. The NFL already has a developmental league called college football. It provides a steady stream of players at zero cost to the NFL. Its the perfect setup for the NFL and will not change anytime soon.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by rypper11

Having an 18 game season would make a developmental league even more important. Eliminating or reducing training camp and reducing preseason would hamper the shot of undrafted rookies and other longshots. This should further increase team revenue. My idea of this is each team in the developmental league has players allocated by NFL teams and play on Saturdays. Ex. Skins and Ravens each allocate 20 players to a team that plays on Saturdays in the Fall after the NFL season starts for 10 weeks. Thus, each team can have 73 players (allow 50 to dress on Sundays) while the other 20 can be brought to the active roster after the developmental league season is over. If a team wants to sign one of the Skins allocated players to their current roster the Skins have the right to either put him on their roster or let him go to the new team.

The NFL definitely needs a developmental league. I think an 8 team league where each NFL division can pool players from a developmental would be an interesting league.