NFL's Troy Vincent says a developmental league is needed

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Cotton

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ESPN - Director of football operations Troy Vincent says NFL needs developmental league
 
This article is well written and to the point.
 
I agree with him though. It would be nice to have a developmental league. Especially for developing positions like QB.
 
I won't say a development league isn't needed but a significant part of the development needs could be accomplished if the NFL would change their eligibility policies to enter the League. A change to 3 years in college would help and 4 years would be more so. Yes I know all the arguments about the players should be entitled to earn a living, etc. Can't have it both ways however. One thing that could help with a development league is to keep the cost of draft choices to a more reasonable level because you could implement salary guidelines if the players union was not allowed to represent these particular players.
 
They do have to spend 3 years in school.
 
One other thing I'd like to see is for teams to be able to protect at least some of the PS players. Correct me if I am wrong, but if another team claims one of your PS guys you have to activate them to your 53 and move someone else off. You should be able to designate at least 2...preferably 4 as rights protected.
 
Carp said:
One other thing I'd like to see is for teams to be able to protect at least some of the PS players. Correct me if I am wrong, but if another team claims one of your PS guys you have to activate them to your 53 and move someone else off. You should be able to designate at least 2...preferably 4 as rights protected.
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I think the practice squad thing is fine the way it is.

What they really need to do is increase the active roster size, not "protect" developmental players getting paid crap.
 
boozeman said:
I think the practice squad thing is fine the way it is.

What they really need to do is increase the active roster size, not "protect" developmental players getting paid crap.
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If the roster is not increased though you should be able to protect practice squad players that you were smart enough to identify as a future player.
 
If they are going to do a developmental league, it needs to be done right.

None of this crap in Europe. I also think each club needs to be required to send more than a player or two to their designated "farm" team.
 
Carp said:
If the roster is not increased though you should be able to protect practice squad players that you were smart enough to identify as a future player.
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I doubt the NFLPA would go for that. The reason a lot of things are the way they are is that they want teams to have as little non-contractual control over players as possible.
 
I agree with Booze. Forget practice squads and D leagues, just let teams keep a bigger roster. That way they can give the players at the bottom of the roster reps against each other and develop them in practice.
 
Carp said:
They do have to spend 3 years in school.
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They have to wait until 3 years out of high school. Technically they can just go from high school to the couch for 3 years and then the nfl.
 
boozeman said:
If they are going to do a developmental league, it needs to be done right.

None of this crap in Europe. I also think each club needs to be required to send more than a player or two to their designated "farm" team.
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I think there needs to be developmental leagues for sure. The problem is that those leagues have all tried to become really profitable.
 
The problem with D leagues is that coaches are going to want to develop a player in their own system. If they have a big enough roster to have a first, second and third team (69 man roster, 66 plus a kicker, punter, and deep snapper) then the third team can practice against each other and actually learn to play the schemes of the team they are under contract to.

This would be a good incentive for teams. It would give them a little bit of insurance against massive injuries or cap trouble. They might be bringing up low round draft picks and UDFAs to replace injured or cut starters, but at least those guys won't be fresh off the streets seeing the playbook for the first time.
 
skidadl said:
They have to wait until 3 years out of high school. Technically they can just go from high school to the couch for 3 years and then the nfl.
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Yeah. What I intended was three years in college for those in college. I wasn't very clear about that. As it is now some can declare after their Sophamore year. Those are not getting a lot of development in their college career.
 
L.T. Fan said:
Yeah. What I intended was three years in college for those in college. I wasn't very clear about that. As it is now some can declare after their Sophamore year. Those are not getting a lot of development in their college career.
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I don't like this plan. Forcing your best players to put more mileage on their bodies for the NCAA when they could be generating revenue for the NFL, when most "developmental" players have exhausted their college eligibility is aiming your improvement attempts at the wrong players.

On top of that, the most important development players entering the NFL need is in learning to play the Pro Style game. How is leaving them in a Mike Leach offense for longer going to make them better?
 
L.T. Fan said:
Yeah. What I intended was three years in college for those in college. I wasn't very clear about that. As it is now some can declare after their Sophamore year. Those are not getting a lot of development in their college career.
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They declare after their soph year only if they redshirt...so they are spending 3 years in school. Keeping them in school longer is unfair. Silly to keep players from a right to work because you want a more finished product on the pro level.
 
Carp said:
They declare after their soph year only if they redshirt...so they are spending 3 years in school. Keeping them in school longer is unfair. Silly to keep players from a right to work because you want a more finished product on the pro level.
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True. As bad as it would be for the college game.
 
I'm all for it. More football, more players, more coaches, more scouts. NFL teams have coaching internship programs now, this could be an extension of that. I also agree with Booze that rosters should be expanded but would add that the number of gameday or "active" players should increase. The owners may not like paying more players but coaches would love it and the NFLPA would sign off on more jobs. I think this helps protects club better against injuries as well.

Maybe they could do an eight-team league, most likely in the south (SEC country), and each team has rights to developmental players from 4 NFL teams. Teams that are not traditional or geographical rivalries. For example, a team in Orlando would get players from the Cowboys, Vikings, Dolphins, and Bengals. The Head Coach should be a neutral hire, like a Dan Reeves or a Steve Mariucci, but the staff would be made up of intern coaches from the 4 assigned NFL teams. Play 7 games and then have a championship game between the top 2 teams. Would definitely help kill some time in the Spring.
 
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