NFL Europe Development

[Crown Royal]

Let's assume that Henson continues to do well in NFLE, and eventually goes on to be a successful starter here in Dallas.

When is the last time a high profile player was allocated to NFLE with the purpose of development, and will have actually panned out with success?

I know there are players like LaRio Glover, Kurt Warner, etc. but has there been a player as high profile as Henson?

Note - this thread is not about Henson - I am assuming he has success in our league, not predicting it or anything. I am just curious about NFLE - it seems that for, what 10 years, they have been just getting by without anything in their talent pool.

 

[Rush 2112]

Tom Crowder and Keith Davis.

 

[Hailmary]

Well, considering that Brock Berlin was very highly recruited coming out of HS and so much was expected of him in both Florida and Miami, you could perhaps include him as a high profile guy.

Speaking of Berlin, I don't think he has what it takes to make it in the NFL. He throws too many picks and gets rattled too easily. And he should of lit things up in college considering all the talent he was surrounded w/. He does have the physical skills however to bounce around the league for many years.

 

[cowboysfan31]

Jake Delhomme played for Frankfurt in 1999 and holds the NFL Europe record for best completion% in a season.

Kitna also played over there and has been a pretty good pro player.

 

[cowboysfan31]

I forgot these two as well:
Brian Finneran played over there in 99 and he's been a good player for the Falcons.

Parcells sent Vinatieri over there and we all know how he's turned out.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Some validity to this post.......good point!

 

[Crown Royal]

Jake Delhomme played for Frankfurt in 1999 and holds the NFL Europe record for best completion% in a season.

Kitna also played over there and has been a pretty good pro player.

I know Delhomme went, but he was kind of Cinderella.

Kitna is a good player too.

But my point is - we are expecting high dividends on Henson.

When Delhomme was sent, it was probably with hopes that he would become a backup or something.

It seems that a good deal of teams send their fodder to NFLE - players they feel have some potential, but that need extra work developing. I doubt their expectations are usually All Pro starters, and they feel lucky when they get a solid starter.

Henson seems to be the exception - we expect him to take over the helm at QB eventually - and do a good job at it. It seems rare that teams utilize NFLE to develop their higher tier prospects.

That being said, if I understand correctly, that is exactly why the league was developed - with the hope that it would become NFL's version of 'farm clubs.'

If Henson does do well, I would think that it will do wonders for the views on NFLE. Perhaps more teams, including ourselves, will utilize the resource more and begin to develop talent even more.

Parcells is a big fan of developing talent - he has always been a proponent of the practice squad, and often expresses his frustration toward roster limits. A few times he has reminisced about the past when 150 players came to TC and your active rosters could hold many more players during the season.

 

[AdamJT13]

It seems rare that teams utilize NFLE to develop their higher tier prospects.

It's rare because Henson's case is unique. I doubt you could find another player in NFL history who was a 26-year-old quarterback with first-round physical talent who took three seasons off to play pro baseball and hadn't played very much in more than five years.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I don't think there has ever been a player so highly touted as Henson be allocated to NFLE, NFLE is basically a, "last chance, let me see what you got", deal for most, while in Henson's case, it's, "let's get you some playing time kid"...

 

[Crown Royal]

It's rare because Henson's case is unique. I doubt you could find another player in NFL history who was a 26-year-old quarterback with first-round physical talent who took three seasons off to play pro baseball and hadn't played very much in more than five years.

This is true - but still, most of what you see over there are 4th round or later rookies, or young FAs who have bounced from place to place.

Should Henson pan out, I think it would be a good idea for teams to send that 2nd or 3rd round QB they might decide to groom, or that 3rd rd WR that they think has something.

Maybe develop that late 2nd round lineman.

If the whole league started to see results from this, it would have a landslide effect - teams could begin to develop players like they did pre cap era again, the competition over there would be better as you send better players, etc.

 

[AdamJT13]

This is true - but still, most of what you see over there are 4th round or later rookies, or young FAs who have bounced from place to place.

Should Henson pan out, I think it would be a good idea for teams to send that 2nd or 3rd round QB they might decide to groom, or that 3rd rd WR that they think has something.

Maybe develop that late 2nd round lineman.

If the whole league started to see results from this, it would have a landslide effect - teams could begin to develop players like they did pre cap era again, the competition over there would be better as you send better players, etc.

I don't think Henson will have any effect on players at other positions. Playing quarterback is an entirely different animal from playing wide receiver or offensive tackle. And the only second- or third-round quarterback who should get sent over there is one who hasn't played in several seasons, like Henson. The ONLY reason Henson is over there is because of his lack of recent experience. He isn't learning or developing any new skills, he's merely getting repetitions to bring out and polish the skills he already had but had been diminished by not playing for so long.

 

[burmafrd]

There are very few players talented enough to play in the Pros that are so raw that NFLE would really benefit them. Now IF the Clarrett case had messed up the NFL's 3 year rule- and then had to start drafting players or whatever right after high school and maybe one year of college- then YES I could see NFLE becoming important as a type of "finishing" league. Other then that, you will not see high profile players over there much. ANd lets face it- Henson is NOT THAT high a profile player.

 

[SultanOfSix]

I don't think there has ever been a player so highly touted as Henson be allocated to NFLE, NFLE is basically a, "last chance, let me see what you got", deal for most, while in Henson's case, it's, "let's get you some playing time kid"...

From what I can tell from all the articles, is that it was Henson who chose to go to Europe, and wasn't allocated. He wanted to play and wanted to get better so he asked JJ and BP to do it. They knew he needed playing time, but it's not like they "sent" him over to Europe to "see what he can do" in the sense of finding out what an unknown talent can do.