Instead of a minor league someone should start a similar league to hockey's junior league idea (OHL). Instead of going to college some players could sign with a junior league, they make a salary and play in this league before/even after they get drafted.("under 23 league" - hack still eligible as property of Jets) It would damage college football but that is some corrupted bullshit anyway. Plus the option of college would still be available to those who want it, this would just have a league for those who don't wanna waste their time with college anyway or can't afford to play for free
pcfl pacific coast football league will change the game. and will probably ruin my favorite sport, college football. but hey what can you do.
This is the issue with a minor league NFL system. In Baseball, you can tell how good a guy is by watching him, same with Basketball D league. You can see the individual talent of the player, but in football, so much is predicated upon the competition you play against. Every player in the league that starts was a great player in school but all of a sudden, everyone is much bigger and faster than the people you played in school and you can't play well anymore. Would the same in an NFL euro league. This WR is lighting it up against the players there. Now he faces Richard Sherman and Aquib Talib and he can't get separation.
With each NFL team not having an entry, and a smaller number of teams it might work. It would cost teams less, and would keep the talent level higher and the play better. They'd have to figure out how many players each team could send, if any players that were unsigned by NFL teams could participate, and if so and they played very well, would they be FAs, available to negotiate with any team, or would there be a draft or if those players would be part of the already-existing supplemental draft.
Do the owners care about anything else but the bottom line though? They are the ones who have to sign off any proposal. I'm not sure it has to make money but if it costs them money in the medium term because there is no interest in it and costs are too high they will can it again. It makes sense from lots of viewpoints, I'm just not sure it does from those who really matter.
You could be right, but I think it can be argued that the same thing hold true for baseball and basketball. In baseball, you could have a hitter who is tearing up the pitching in the minor leagues, but in the Major Leagues you have pitchers with a lot better control, who may throw faster/harder, and have more nasty breaking pitches than in the minor leagues, and suddenly he may struggle to have a batting average over the Mendoza line. The ballparks are bigger so the homeruns that players hit in the minor leagues suddenly become routine fly ball outs. In the NBA players are bigger, stronger, perhaps faster and better defenders. Players who score a lot in the D league may suddenly find that they have to put a higher trajectory on their shots or are unable to get open shots like they could in the D league.
As a person who followed my NFL Europe team for 10 years I am very hesitant regarding a return in the form it was in. Few NFL franchises sent players that they were genuinely committed to developing as depth or even potential starters. The timing of the season was not conducive to players looking to break into 53's as they were already banged up before camp and even OTA's began. There were some players who made careers. Warner is an outlier. If the season ran in standard season time picking up players that teams wanted to develop or give those on the bubble an opportunity I would be more interested. As for fans in Europe wanting their own franchise I don't know how successful that will be. I would not buy season tickets for a franchise here. I'm a Jets fan. I loved the Claymores and their presence here. Season ticket holder 10 years and enjoyed every moment. Got to see the game up close... on the sidelines, access to practice, coaches, players and the nuts and bolts was amazing. However there was no stability or returning players. I was fortunate to see Brandon Moore develop and grow but also witnessed an unnamed draft pick by the Jets blow the opportunity. I see NFL Europe as a way that brought new people to the NFL but the prospect of having a viable league set up here is poor - not enough local players/coaches/fans to build sustainable teams
They could set up some sort of player "loan" program either by way of a specific junior club..or have it vary from player to player. This would be more like extended training camp/preseason.Allowing younger players w. some tools to work w. to get better acclimated to the team's scheme as well as just getting more meaningful reps.There would still be a revolving door of sorts..but it would allow teams some more long term options for players who have ability but also need time. There's been alot of talk about expanding the NFL roster size..this is one way to facilitate that & frankly grow the game in a healthy beneficial way. If done right it'd also drastically decrease teams scrambling mid season to sign street free agents off the street due to injury. The Clyde Gates factor if you will. Instead, presented with a injury related hurdles teams would look to "call up" from their affiliate to fill that spot;That adds an element of excitement as compared to what usually is dread.
In terms of working with team scheme it would take the commitment of an NFL franchise to take responsibility for a team as opposed to a hodge podge of players from different sources and coaches with no direct connection. Will the owners be willing to do that? . I don't think extending TC or preseason will be effective. Send guys who have promise for a season autumn/winter then they will be fit for OTA's and TC and can possibly come back if they need a wee bit more. Might screw how the existing draft works as there will need to be a deep pool
As I see it, one of the problems with NFL teams having an "affiliate" as you put it is that that "affiliate" would have to run the exact same systems as the parent club. Since Morton's offense is evolving, how would an OC of an affiliate team mirror that? Also, security would be less with those "affiliate" teams and NFL teams could probably get a lot of information by spying on the affiliate team or "borrowing" one of their playbooks. The other issue is that since coaching and development would be key, you'd need to find really topnotch coaches who excel at teaching. Why would those coaches want to work in a minor league when they could work in the NFL or a major college team and be paid a lot more? I suppose NFL teams could hire young coaches who they think have a lot of potential but not much experience, and promise them a chance with the parent club if they develop, but with the way some teams (like the Jets) turn over CSs, that chance might never come. I guess those kinds of wrinkles could be worked out, and would be ideal, but I would imagine it would probably wind up like NFL Europe where NFL teams could send players to that minor league.
Like anything else that changes within the rules or set up, teams have to be willing to embrace venturing into new territory. A team like the Jets could potentially have an advantage with the "resources" they have to outspend many other teams with facilities,personnel,supplementary scouting,etc.. I think you are right about hiring young coaches with potential.Treat them as prospects/projects as well.Even if it's not in coaching but other football operation roles within the "mothership"
