First off the players will still have to be paid and then all the players that have performance clauses that haven't been met that will want those games to get there. They would have a big law suit if players were close and there were still league games and they weren't allowed to play in them to get their bonus money. I agree that there are final games where things are decided but very few stars get that game off. Another reason which has been stated just about every year by coaches is they want to keep the mojo going into the playoffs. Now in a lot of the games in the SECOND half if the game is already decided we see more players taking the final half off, but not ANYWHERE close to what you've implied. There are to many money issue for the NFLPA to agree to such a idiotic moronic plan.
I'm not sure what you're getting at here. If you're just saying that you think this proposal won't be adopted, yeah, you're probably right. But if the league and NFLPA agree on a 16 game limit and players are sitting the final game because they've reached their 16 game limit, what possible argument could they have that they're being held back from their bonuses?
The rest of the stuff you write, about mojo and about most players not sitting the final game: sure, that's the way it works now to some extent (although a lot of guys do rest at least part of the final game). But we're imagining a situation where players are REQUIRED to sit out a game or two games. That's not the case now. If it were the case, behaviors would change. So my question to you is, if you're going to want your stars playing in the final game of the season, when are you going to sit them? Because I don't see anybody resting guys early when the future is uncertain.[/QUOTE]
It's never going to happen. The NFL is negotiating through the press.
If they did restrict players it would be by total snaps or by quarters or something like that but it's easier and gets more media coverage and fan/media conversation by just saying players would only play 16 of the 18.
Most teams could limit total 18 game snaps for each player to the average for 16 games in previous years just by pulling players at the end of blowout wins or losses.
The Cowboys in 2018 had a blowout win, a blowout loss and a meaningless game 16.
They would need to increase the 46 man game day roster.
OLine would be the most difficult.
If 18 games happens which is doubtful, they'll end up agreeing to reduce pre-season snaps or pre-season games in order to limit the season total.