Football In The Spring: An Idea For The NFL

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

By the time spring rolls around, football fans are desperate for action. It has been months since they have seen real football and with the collapse of arena football, fans only have Canadian football starting in June to satiate their desires. The players haven't seen football action in months and coaches have no real way to test their backups. I have a solution for them.

Make a true developmental league in the spring time.

This league would consist of backup players and players going into the NFL Draft, as well as anyone else who thinks they could play, with the season going from April to June right through the draft; this could be a chance to showcase their talent in real game situations.

Players who don't get to see the field during the regular season could show other teams their potential. It would also show how rookies would play against players that, while not the best, would still be better than what they regularly faced in college.

The league would consist of eight to 10 teams, with each team playing each of the other teams in the league. There would be two divisions, with the top two teams in each division going to a four-team playoff.

The games themselves would be played with NFL rules with minor rule changes as to better protect the players for the actual NFL season and to add a change of pace from the NFL. The teams will be made up at random for the first season, but have a draft after each additional season.

The fans would enjoy it because it would be some real football during the spring, and while not completely satisfying, it should hold them over until the NFL preseason starts.

The players should like it because it gives them an opportunity for real playing time they might otherwise not get. The coaches might like it because it gives a portion of their team real playing time and motivation to stay in shape during the offseason.

This is all in fun and will probably never happen, but it is fun to think about having names that sit on the sidelines in the fall to have some real experience in the spring.

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