Opinion, should the NFL have a minor league system

[playmakers]

I think Keon Lattimore has some talent. His only problem is no matter how good he can play in the preseason he will never make it make it past 4th string. He is a prime example of why the NFL needs some sort of a minor league system, and during the season too.

Every team has 80 player limit right now. The NFL should increase that to 90 and the team spilts them 50(NFL) and 40(Minors) at the end of camp. The minor league team would play on say Wed Nights so they can become available for the weekend games for call ups if need be. It would only help the NFL player, veterans, and the team. Players can develope this way and they wouldnt ride the pine and eventually cut like most mid/late round picks.

Having those players play in April to June, like NFL Europe, does nothing for them. If Lattimore goes for 1500 yards in the Spring season he will still be in the same spot he is now. If he was playing in a minor league system during the season and was going for 130 a week, and say Tashard Choice was struggling, he would be in line for a call up and Choice would be in line for a demotion. It would keep the players of the big squad even keeled too. The veteran player would be helped out by this as well. Instead of giving the final 10 roster spots to young players the team would be more inclined to send them to the minors for playing time. That leaves veterans like Joe Horn, John Lynch, etc etc to be valued alot more than they have been this season. A player like Bobby Carpertner would of been helped out alot the last two seasons by a minor league team. He basically got nothing accomplished. Same goes for our young lineman like Free, McQuisten, etc.

I know the cap etc etc would be of issue here but I think its doable(is this actually a word?). Not only this, there would be more money for teams to gain. Im sure ESPN, FOX(FX channel), CBS(SPIKE), CW would make nice bids for the tv rights too. Just some food for thought. After watching Hard Knocks tonight made me think seeing players like Lowber, Lattimore, Amendoila, etc etc who could really be helped by this system.

The biggest difference from NFL Europe would be instead of having 5 players allocated to 5 different teams, you would have all 40 on your favorite team. This would increase interest. This is just a thought and curious to hear opinions. Im not saying im right either. Opinions

 

[tunahelper]

I think it makes sense, however I believe owners consider college their free minor league system.

 

[GoCowboysGo]

Why? NCAA gives it for free, plus they don't have to pay those athletes anything except for their scholarships (which can be low at some state colleges!). Plus, these players make so much for the NCAA, I'm sure they wouldn't give that up without a fight, like making sure the NFL doesn't do it or going to congress, etc.

I do agree with your ideas! It just isn't going to happen with so many people making so much money off , in effect, free labor.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

CFL and AFL are what i consider they used to have the Euro league that just died.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

College is the best training camp

 

[Yeagermeister]

The cheap owners like Az and Cincy wouldn't agree to it.

 

[PullMyFinger]

Yes.

This is what NFL Europe was suppose to be.

 

[Hostile]

Every time they try, it doesn't work.

 

[Doomsday101]

Every time they try, it doesn't work.

True there is not enough interest to support it and though a few players made it out of lower league to the NFL it was the exception not the rule.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I don't think so. The level of talent in the NFL has a steep curve. What I mean by that is there are teams that have what amounts to garbage at some positions because there just isn't enough to go around. A minor league curcuit would only delute it even more. There could be teams with NFL caliber players in the minors because they aren't quite good enough to crack the current team's NFL roster, but could start for 20 other teams.

Think Michael Turner on the Chargers, but on a much larger scale. The fact that the only way you are protected (from going to a different team) is if your on the 53 man roster, is a good thing. It helps promote more competitive teams, and it forces teams to make a real investment in raw, but very talented players rather than throwing them in a closet and waiting to see if they actually develop.

 

[YosemiteSam]

College is the best training camp

I agree, it also forces these kids to attend college which is always in their best interest.

 

[joseephuss]

A nice idea, but I don't think it is a practical one. I also don't think the owners would go for it.

I think they should just increase the size of the practice squad by about 5 to 10 players and let teams develop their own guys with the team. Maybe an even simpler solution is to increase the roster size by 5 players. That way teams can't easily lose those fringe players to other teams and will give them extra bodies for practice.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Every time they try, it doesn't work.

If Vince McMahon can't pull it off it can't be done.

 

[Yeagermeister]

If Vince McMahon can't pull it off it can't be done.

They tried to be too different and because he was involved it had the image of being faked. If McMahon had stayed out of it and just bank rolled it who know what might have happened.

 

[FCBarca]

Isn't the NCAA the minor league system already?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

No, they shouldn't. If you institute a minor league, that means that it has to be supported. It also means that it has to sell tickets and people have to watch it. Nobody is interested in watching minor league football. Semi Pro leagues have been around for years. Other then very local interest, those do not generate enough fan support. The NFL already has Arena League, which kinda serves as a minor league of sorts. If the NFL created a minor league, it would compete directly with the NCAA and that would not be viewed as a positive move. The relation ship the NFL and the NCAA currently enjoy is not without it's faults but it is, more or lease, proven to be extremely succesful for a number of year. If you introduce a minor league that competes directly with the NCAA, that may upset the balance of things and create more problems. I don't see a need for one. Perhaps expansion of current developmental rosters or even expansion of player rosters might be in order but to fully fund another league is not feasable IMO.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

NFL Europe didn't work, so starting another farm club system probably won't work either. There's still the Arena League, CFL, semi-pro ball and the practice squad. I think for the most part if a player has the ability to one day play in the NFL, they have plenty of ways to do it even if they can't make a 53 man roster.






YAKUZA

 

[playmakers]

NFL Europe didnt work because

A. Teams were only allowed to allocate 5 players and they were put on 5 different teams. How can you become a fan like that. If you put 40 players from your team and name them the Dallas whatever you would have fans watching. Tell me you wouldnt watch a team that has Bartel, Lattimore, Amendoila, Lowber, etc etc.

B. The season was played between April-June. Its kind of hard to get into a league full of nobodys 3 months after the season ended. At least with this system you would carry the momenteum of training camp and then you would be able to run with it right into the season. Plus, like I said previously, teams only allocated 5 players, imagine if we got 40 and played in our hometown.


Lastly, Im not talking about doing anything with the College game. This league would be for the college player who needs more time to develop. I would actually put in a rule that players has to be at least 21 to play and has to enter the draft.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Excuse me?

What was Europe and the always-there NCAA?

 

[jackrussell]

I think Keon Lattimore has some talent. His only problem is no matter how good he can play in the preseason he will never make it make it past 4th string. He is a prime example of why the NFL needs some sort of a minor league system, and during the season too.

So a guy that you think may have some talent, that no matter how well he plays in the preseason and still can't get past 4th string...is your prime example as to why the NFL needs a farm system?

The cheap owners like Az and Cincy wouldn't agree to it.

I thought Arizona and Cincy were already part of the NFL's minor league system.