07-28-2020, 03:23 PM
(07-26-2020, 11:07 AM)Yojimbo Wrote: Agree, terrible time to be an undrafted free agent. A couple of silver linings. First, the PS is likely to be expanded to 16 players, with 6 of those spots having no service time restrictions, so that should help fringe vets. Second, it looks like there will be an option to bring 90 guys to camp, but the team would then have to have split squads and cut to 80 before the first padded practice. So, there's a chance a guy impresses enough in that short window to make the 80 man.
A lot will depend on how much college football is played this year: this year's undrafted crop at least should have tape from before the pandemic. How many guys coming out this year were relying on that extra year of tape?
(07-26-2020, 11:29 AM)fredtoast Wrote: I think something like that is coming.
The NBA has had a developmental league for a while, but just this year a lot of top high school prospects are skipping college and going directly to the D-league. It does not pay a lot, but they can work on their game 100% of the time instead of just the very limited hours they get to practice in college. If the Arena Leagues really are folding (did not hear about that) then there would be a ready made market.
It's going to be even more of a necessity with cutting the pre-season schedule. I don't understand why there aren't just pre-season games for practice squad eligible players only. It would help immensely from a training and evaluation perspective and the NFL can make money by selling tickets and TV rights for it. With a 90 man roster there are enough roster spots. Call them the Cincinnati Bengal Cubs and market them as the next generation. You wouldn't necessarily throw Burrow in with them, but maybe Higgins, Wilson, Davis-Gaither etc would benefit from the reps, not to mention those from last year's crop of rookies who didn't see extended playing time.
