Is an 18 game season still a good idea?

[PARAM]

Sure as already has been expressed in this thread....

Expanded rosters
More players allowed to return from IR
2 bye weeks
Start season earlier.....last Thursday and Sunday in August
A week off for everybody after the season is complete. (3rd bye week)
Play the pro bowl that week with everybody from non playoff teams
Keep the playoffs as they are

 

[Jorgeh0605]

The longer the NFL makes the season the deeper into the off season the playoffs go. Meaning the teams playing in the SuperBowl have less time to recuperate, and if you look at the Rams and the Bengals they both had issues this year. 17 games was already too much, 18 would be hell.

Not necessarily. Just remove a preseason game or two.

 

[ReekofRams]

Not necessarily. Just remove a preseason game or two.

You need the preseason games for the undrafted players

 

[RamFanWA]

I think the league should remove a couple of the pre-season games, then expand the CAP , then expand the roster & practice squad sizes. Then monitor the effect of those changes on the injury trend, before adding games to the schedule.

As it is, the superbowl teams are ending play in February and back in practice 3-4 months later. I don't think that is enough time to mend some players.

 

[dieterbrock]

Just food for thought here, but if they were to eliminate pre-season games, they would be decreasing revenue and thus decreasing the salary cap. They only play 3 at this point and with the limited amount of time starters and primary back ups are actually on the field, I cant see how that leads to injury down the road
In general, more injuries occur during practice than in games. That extra game they added resulted in an additional week of practice as well.
That's why I think replacing the 17th game with a 2nd bye makes the most sense. The owners still share in the tv revenue for an 18 week schedule while each team gets an additional week off.

 

[oldnotdead]

The rosters need to be expanded or the PS needs to return to the COVID protocol policies. They also would need to stop this idiotic limit of only 45 roster players allowed to be suited up on game days. With the level of injuries each game they should allow all 53 roster players to be suited up on each game day. They restricted the number strictly to save money. But with all the money this league makes it's greedily stupid. They should increase the roster to 55 and allow teams to suit all for each game. The NFL is degrading their own product simply out of greed.

The NFLPA should require these changes if the league wants to expand the season to 18 games. IMO they should do it anyway.

 

[dieterbrock]

Play the pro bowl that week with everybody from non playoff teams

They should permanently move the pro bowl to February 30th

 

[dieterbrock]

. They also would need to stop this idiotic limit of only 45 roster players allowed to be suited up on game days. With the level of injuries each game they should allow all 53 roster players to be suited up on each game day. They restricted the number strictly to save money.

I agree they need to abolish the 46 man game day roster, but it isnt in place to save money, players get paid whether they are active or not. Has nothing to do with money.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Money talks, everything else walks

Used to be only the bullshit walked but that has expanded to everything

 

[Tano]

They should permanently move the pro bowl to February 30th

Didn't they get rid of the pro bowl game and replace it with competitions instead

 

[dieterbrock]

Didn't they get rid of the pro bowl game and replace it with competitions instead

Yes but I like my plan better

 

[RamFanWA]

Yes but I like my plan better

well.. what players that are not in the post-season, that ended play in early January, are going to want to return to play the most meaningless game ever, 2 months later?
I'm not seeing it - but who knows?!!

 

[CGI_Ram]

I am not sure touching preseason is a good idea. You need SOME preseason games to sort out your roster.

Plus, the extra rest of not playing preseason hasn’t exactly helped the Rams this year… Kupp, Donald, Stafford didn’t play in preseason to name a few, and they are out hurt.

 

[RamFanWA]

I am not sure touching preseason is a good idea. You need SOME preseason games to sort out your roster.

Plus, the extra rest of not playing preseason hasn’t exactly helped the Rams this year… Kupp, Donald, Stafford didn’t play in preseason to name a few, and they are out hurt.

..there is that!

 

[Malibu]

I get the logic more money and no one truly cares about pre- season but no matter how you cut it 8njuries will be higher due to the extra game because many of the star players don't play in preseason or sit out minimumly 1 to all preseason games.

Double edged sword - fun for the fans bad for the players so who's side do you choose?

 

[Riverumbbq]

I favor an 18 game regular season, and as noted in other threads on this subject in the past, it should coincide with reducing the pre-season games down to 2 while moving to 3 BYE games per team, per season. Increase team roster sizes from 53 to 57 and make ALL players eligible on game day, also increase Practice Squads to 18 or 20. The 2 additional BYE weeks alone will grow NFL revenue which has the added effect of increasing overall NFL CAP to off-set any new personnel costs. I'd also like to see a player percentage CAP where no one single player can receive more income than 10% of the entire team's yearly salary CAP, ... I still see this as a team game. jmo.

 

[blackbart]

If they are going to increase the roster size and cap by enough to make it reasonable to have enough replacements that would be a start. But, are there really that many NFL level players in the world?

No reason the can’t start regular season games in August to keep from pushing the Super Bowl later.

At least 2 byes gives a little rest but, I’m not sure that helps with injuries.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I like the expanded playoffs and only a 1 team bye. Playoffs are less predictable which is always good.

All of these injuries happened before week 18, removing one game is not going to change that.

The extra game throws off historical stats, but other than that I'm all for it.

 

[CGI_Ram]

If they are going to increase the roster size and cap by enough to make it reasonable to have enough replacements that would be a start. But, are there really that many NFL level players in the world?

AND… If they add those costs, does the 18th game cover it? I suspect YES… but for the quality of play is that diminishing returns?

 

[Riverumbbq]

If they are going to increase the roster size and cap by enough to make it reasonable to have enough replacements that would be a start. But, are there really that many NFL level players in the world?

No reason the can’t start regular season games in August to keep from pushing the Super Bowl later.

At least 2 byes gives a little rest but, I’m not sure that helps with injuries.

How many college football players are eligible for the NFL Draft? - Reply Area

So, including the fifty or so underclassmen who leave college and declare themselves eligible for the NFL draft, that's a pool of 3,500 players who

replyarea.com

The above link should give an idea as to how many potential players are available to the NFL each year, and with the draft only taking 262 last season, the eligibility list is huge.
Scouts probably see all kinds of good players who never get an NFL snap.
Increasing the number of players should also put pressure on coaches to rotate players more often to keep them fresh. jmo.