Why the NFL Needs a Farm System

Look at that photo at the top of the article again. Did you get a good look? Good, because David Carr is a prime example of why the NFL would benefit from a farm system like the ones Major League Baseball and the NHL already have. 

Carr was the first overall pick in the 2002 draft by the expansion Houston Texans and would go on to set an NFL record for being sacked 76 times in a single season. 

Carr was a young guy with a horrible offensive line and was thrown into the starting job for a new team with a new stadium whose only real goal that season was to sell tickets. Thus, he was never given a chance to learn how to be an NFL quarterback. 

If the NFL had a proper farm system, a guy like Carr could have spent a season down there learning the speed of the game and not taking the pounding he did in his rookie year. In that scenario, both Carr and the Texans would probably be better off today.

Two rookies from 2008—who a farm system could have helped immensely last season—are Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas of the Washington Redskins. 

The two rookie wide-receivers, despite being taller and having better physical traits then the three starters for the Skins barely stepped out onto the field. Sure, Kelly was hampered by a nagging knee injury, but even when he was healthy, like his fellow rookie, Coach Zorn felt he wasn't ready. 

Players who would only see the field in a dire situation took up two roster spots. Then you compound the Redskins having three tight ends (Fred Davis being another rookie Zorn felt wasn't ready) you have eight roster spots for receivers! 

At least one or two of those spots could have gone to an Offensive or Defensive lineman; injuries to both lines helped the 6-2 Skins fall to 8-8 by seasons end.

A farm system here could have allowed these young receivers to get NFL ready (heck they may have been called upped and played mid-season) while having an extra backup lineman or two in case of injuries. 

My next point, which is a major complaint amongst NFL Vets and fans, Rookie contracts. Young men who have never taken an NFL snap in there life are getting more guaranteed money on their first contract than most Vets will ever see in their whole career. 

This part of my argument is a little more tricky than a guy not being ready. Let's face it, if you're the No. 1 overall pick you are going to demand top dollar like Matt Stafford's staggering $41.7 million in guaranteed money. 

This may or may not be money well spent. We don't know because he won't take a meaningful snap for five months after being drafted.

In my fantasy world of an NFL farm system, draft picks that don't make the NFL roster can't make that much money. There would be a cap for the farm players on what they could make. 

Once a player has proven themselves and are called up then they could start making the big bucks. It's not a perfect system, but in the case of Ryan Leaf it would have saved the Chargers a ton of money under the salary cap.

I'll be the first to admit that there are exceptions to my theory, one being Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. In his rookie season he was paid top dollar and brought the Falcons back to the playoffs. I'm sure everyone in Atlanta feels he was worth every penny of his six year, $72 million contract, but like I said, he's an exception not the rule.

Just so you don't think I'm a nut just spouting off nonsense let me break down my league for you.

You'd have two leagues, the NFL (of course) and the MLFA (Minor League Football Association) with each NFL franchise being represented. Ideally, each of the NFL's minor league team would be located somewhere near their big brother. 

For example, the Washington Redskins' minor league affiliate could be in Fairfax, Virginia, and instead of moving the Bills to Toronto, put their minor league team there. 

Players of all ages, not just rookies, could be called up or sent down depending on things like, needing time to develop, recovering from an injury, or like in hockey, calling up someone who may not be an every game guy but gives you a hell of a matchup against an upcoming opponent. 

So it doesn't seem like just having an expanded roster, teams would be limited on the number of call-ups in a given season. After the max call-ups have been reached, players must clear waivers before being sent down (recovering DL players excluded). 

Also, think of the MLFA as an extended preseason, the point isn't to win as much as it is to learn and not get hurt.

I know some of you are probably saying, "Isn't that what the practice squad is for?"  Yes and no. 

The practice squad is good for late round and un-drafted players, but you can't put a first or second round pick on the practice squad, egos and agents wouldn't allow it. Plus you can only learn so much from being a tackling dummy for the actual team. 

If you have this separate league players can learn and develop without being thrown to the wolves like Carr was.

I also believe football would be a deeper sport because of it. 

I don't know about you, but I get tired of learning the names of all the new free agents that are signed every offseason. With a farm system, you'd have these players that have grown in your team's system and will probably be under a contract for a while.

And maybe, just maybe, instead of your owner going out and spending $100 million on a tackle, he'll look at his farm system and say, "Hey, I can save that cash, because I've this guy ready to explode onto the scene." 

We'd finally have what we've longed for since the late '80s, early '90s and that is a team we recognize ever year.

Maybe my system would revolutionize football and maybe it wouldn't. Football is a violent sport, and many players in the Minors might not even make it out, but isn't that what a farm system is for? Weeding out the weak players there instead of on the active roster?