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NFL Minor Leagues

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Puka-head, Jan 12, 2018.

  1. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Would you support it?

    The NFL needs to figure out how to develop a minor league system like MLB has. Let college athletes be college athletes and have 32 minor league teams. Or 64. Small towns, Spring/Summer ball. Local stars, work out a deal to support local U's by renting the facilities.

    Train players, coaches, and ref's for the pro's, be able to move guys up or down the chain like baseball. I would go see local minor league NFL games, especially if the cost ratio was comparable to MLB. I can take the fam to a Rainiers game in Tacoma, with snacks and parking and all in for $50. And I'm watching future Mariners or former soon to be current Mariners play. Costs me $100 at least to go to a Mariners game more with snacks and a few beers.

    Have the draft, 10 rounds, Team gets to decide who goes where. Training camp for the best, summer league for the rest.

    Want to grow the brand? Give me THAT!! Please NFL, PLEASE!?
     
  2. mooseguts

    mooseguts Well-Known Member

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    I probably wouldn't support it.Wasn't NFL Europe their minor league to an extent? I don't know much about baseball but it seems their farm system routinely has future All stars while you look at the G-League of the NBA and you will see mostly scrubs with the occasional player making the jump to the NBA and making an impact. Most NFL teams would probably start their 1st and 2nd round picks as oppose to letting them play in a minor league system and risk injury. I can't see enough blue chip prospect getting sent down for it to be worth a watch imo.
     
  3. TheHighExhaulted

    TheHighExhaulted Well-Known Member

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    I don't think anyone wants to pay to watch a couple of college fourth/fifth string players play against each other.
     
  4. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    There already is minor league football...The Arena League
     
  5. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    It would depend on how it's developed...I wouldn't go for three levels and dozens of different leagues. But what if you boosted the practice squad roster to 30 players and gave them their own mini-season? During the week they'd scrimmage the Dolphins and on game day, they'd play 1-2 quarters against the opposing team's practice squad. Then once playoff time rolls around, they'd play division games in their conference almost like a college bracket...1-4 in the East, North, South, etc. Make it a one loss elimination playoff with all 32 teams- you win your division, then conference, then the practice team super bowl.

    I think that would be cool because you could (1) carry a lot more players, (2) those players get game experience and (3) you could move people up/down at will. Put a rule on it that only like 3 of your 1st contract starters that played 8+ regular season games can be in the practice playoffs- so maybe Grant, Drake and Harris. That would be enough to make us watch and it would go a long way to develop young talent on weaker teams.
     
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  6. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I've put this idea out a number of times on here but here it is again:

    A league made of 16 teams. Each team is co-run by one AFC and one NFC team. So say, Miami and Tampa co run a team, and that team would be in a secondary market like Orlando. Or Jax and Atlanta could have a team in Macon. The teams are stocked with developmental players and coaches from both teams. This will allow for the NFL to reach other smaller markets, while still pushing loyalty towards their bigger market teams. It will also give players NFL style experience instead of the CFL or Arena, where the skills rarely translate.
     
  7. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I do not have any interest in a real minor league system. What I would prefer is a NFL academy.

    Offer the opprotunity for about 100 or so of the year's best prospects to join straight out of high school instead of going to college. Have a campus where they live, train, eat, are cared for medically, and take classes in all things football, both on and off the field. Pay them a fair salary, say 50k for year one, 100k for years two and three, and then a bonus of another 100k when they finish the program. It would be terrific if there would be some way for the player and the league to mutually end the contract after year one and still have the player get a college scholarship if he changes his mind or isn't good enough.

    The young men would have all of their needs taken care of, and in return would have a strict set of rules that they have to live by, or otherwise are expelled and with it their chance at the NFL. The ones who succeed then become virtually spotless prospects who would fill up the first and second round of the draft around the very best college players, and would hopefully then go on to become excellent professionals, given their knowledge and exposure to NFL life for three years out of high school.

    Make up teams of 40 or so players, and have them compete in games on NFL Network in the middle of the week. Make it a reality show, where people get to know the young men both on and off the field. Ratings gold. Win/win for both the players and the league.
     
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  8. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    Boom, this!

    I absolutely think players should be given an alternative to the NCAA. Not only will this league pay them, but also it will feature NFL coaching, playbooks, experience, etc. I think we would have a lot more refined players ready for the league coming out of a development team than a college team.

    As for support ... I probably wouldn't financially support one. I moved to Detroit so likely there would not be a "local" minor league team. Then again, the idea of a Lions/Browns team in like Columbus or something is hilarious!
     
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  9. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    I like that idea. Lots of ways to put it together, I just think they should stop using college kids to make $$$ for themselves. It's like indentured servitude. You HAVE to give three years of working to pay Nicky flippin Satans salary before you have the possibility of being one of 1,696 NFL players annually.

    Add another 1,000 or so who get to develop and practice and play the NFL game and maybe they could expand rosters and extend the season.

    How could MORE FOOTBALL be a bad thing?
     
  10. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Yes. And no.

    Lots of NFL can't end up there. The ball is pointy on the ends. Green grass, mostly. Pads. Some similarity.

    But it isn't a minor league, they don't play the NFL game so you can't develop players, coaches and refs the same, and they aren't affiliated with or supported by the NFL juggernaut.
     
  11. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    You were saying?

    Need more?

    Some AFL players have gone on to have successful careers in the NFL, most notably Kurt Warner. Warner played college football at University of Northern Iowa and then quarterbacked the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers to ArenaBowl X in 1996 and ArenaBowl XI in 1997, before earning two NFL MVP Awards, a Super Bowl MVP Award and quarterbacking two different teams to the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the only person to play a substantial portion of his professional career (as opposed to a short publicity stunt, as was the case with Joe DeLamielleure's brief tenure in the sport) playing arena football.

    Another, probably the second most notable behind Warner, could be Fred Jackson, although he never technically played arena football. Jackson played indoor football with the Sioux City Bandits in 2004 when they played in the NIFL (2004) and the UIF in 2005 before finally moving on to NFL Europa's Rhein Fire in 2006, then to the NFL after Rhein.

    Following an initial undistinguished NFL career, being released or unsigned for four seasons out of eight, quarterback Tommy Maddox would revitalize himself with the AFL's New Jersey Red Dogs for one season before going on to quarterback the Los Angeles Xtreme to the XFL championship win and eventually return to the NFL for five seasons, retiring with a Super Bowl ring after the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL.

    Other Arena to NFL graduates include Anthony Armstrong, Oronde Gadsden, Lincoln Coleman, Adrian McPherson, Rashied Davis, Jay Feely, David Patten, Rob Bironas, Antonio Chatman, Mike Vanderjagt, and Paul Justin. Former Arena League MVP Jay Gruden (brother of Jon Gruden) went on to coach the Orlando Predators of the AFL, and is currently the head coach for the Washington Redskins. Eddie Brown, voted in 2006 as the greatest player in AFL history,[4][5] never played in the NFL, but his son Antonio Brown joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 and was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_football#Graduates_to_the_NFL

    Like minor league baseball, not every player in the minors make it to the majors. Same thing in Arena Football, not every player in the AFL will make it to the NFL however, I believe I've demonstrated there are plenty of stories that Arena Football is already minor league football for the NFL
     
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  12. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    A few things....

    1. They’ve tried this already. Arena league, CFL, XFL, USFL...they’ve all tried.

    2. Even if it worked, it’s not sustainable. The career span of a player is around 4 years. It’ll take one or two years just to get noticed and get to the league

    3. Ultimately, this is what the practice squad is supposed to do.
     
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  13. shamegame13

    shamegame13 Madison & Surtain

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    Slightly off subject, but I would like to see RB’s have the ability to be drafted after their freshman or sophomore year.
     
  14. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    I'm not arguing that arena football is not a place where players can go to keep working and developing skills. Canadian Football may be an even better example. I'm just saying it's not the same thing as having a NFL minor league, run by the NFL to benefit NFL teams, much like minor league baseball.

    Yes there have been players to "graduate" to the NFL form arena and CFL and all the other football org's. Not a lot but certainly a noticeable group. How many coaches were developed? What about refs? What about a comparable product for half the cost in small markets across the country. Maybe Johnny football from Localville doesn't make the Pro-V team and has to go play Pro-JV ball for 2 years. Or 5 yr Pro vet gets hurt and needs a few rehab games. Or Dang that girls running a heck of an offense in Tacoma, or Brooklyn, or Shreveport, maybe we should give her a shot at coaching in the bigs.
     
  15. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    No. They haven't tried a NFL minor league. All the afore mentioned, Arena league, XFL, USFL, etc were set up to COMPETE with the NFL. NFL Europe is the only "NFL" style franchise and it was successful, for a short time, in Europe.

    I think the results would be different in medium sized metropolitan markets like Orlando, Pheonix, Austin, Colombus, etc. for an NFL sponsored, organized and run by the NFL would be significantly better. Hockey has it, Baseball has it, why not the NFL?
     
  16. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    They essentially act as a minor leagues because all those leagues lose players to the nfl as soon as the nfl wants them. Conversely if a player doesnt cut it in the NFL where do they end up?
     
  17. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Or we could just... [and some of you might wanna cover your ears]... pay the college athletes.
     
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  18. muskrat21

    muskrat21 Well-Known Member

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    bama already does.
     
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  19. muskrat21

    muskrat21 Well-Known Member

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    and no, there doesn't need to be a minor league, there are plenty of other leagues that act as such. if you are good the NFL will find you. IE Wake CFL IE Gadsen AFL.
     
  20. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    Who’s the best player to come out of the euro league for the dolphins?
     
  21. muskrat21

    muskrat21 Well-Known Member

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    Jay Fiedler, Scott Mictchell, Damon Huard all NFL europe before Dolphins.

    That's just from the espn article talking about QB's and NFL Europe.

    (back in Mitchell's time it was called world league with USA locations and EU. Mitchell was at Orlando)

    Edit: Jeff Ogden WR/KR/PR came up in a google search.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2018
  22. Simon

    Simon The Other English Simon Club Member

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    And Brendon Ayanbadejo too
     
  23. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    The NFL desperately needs a D-league. Along with the obvious of being able to further develop players in a more sophisticated environment than just being stashed away on a practice squad, it would also help fill midseason gaps due to injuries.
     
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  24. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    College IS the minor league. Most of the kids coming out of college wouldn't be in college if not for football. College is the NFL's farm league in disguise. And as the years go by that disguise is wearing off...
     
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  25. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    In a way, but college coaches don't take on, nor care to, the responsibility of getting a collegiate player ready for the professional level. The large majority of collegiate players are very unpolished and lack technique. A D-league, assuming you could hire a decent group of coaches, would do wonders to increase the talent pool and raise the overall quality of the NFL.
     
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  26. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The reason imo why nothing has worked so far is because the league hasn’t connected the D league to their actual teams..uniforms-logo and all.

    If they did we all would have great interest..
     
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  27. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    You make the assumption this fantasy D league you envision would have NFL caliber coaches but if they had NFL caliber coaches, wouldn’t they be coaching in...wait for it








    The NFL?
     
  28. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    This is why there has been such attention on the college ranks, both positive and negative attention.

    The Dexter Manleys of the world who can’t read nor write but have a college degree and employees in the NFL

    The investigations into violations of NCAA rules concerning academic interference or improper “gifts” to students

    The GAZILLION dollars made in college bowl games, contracts with networks for exclusive broadcasting rights

    College football is indeed that minor league that hypes up prospects for NFL glory and who are often trying to figure out how to make a living within a few years...or looking the the AFL or CFL for a chance to play and get the attention of the NFL
     
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  29. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    Excuse yourself, I'm not the one making assumptions here. You presented that misinformation all on you own. A D-league would also focus on not just the development of players, but potential coaches and referees as well. Being that it's games would be played in the NFL's offseason, current NFL staff could also instruct and oversee the operation.

    Another or additional option could also be an in-season academy for players not under contract who get workouts and jobs through the season.
     
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  30. muskrat21

    muskrat21 Well-Known Member

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    if it's played in the offseason, how is that grooming players to play in the NFL when someone gets hurt? considering the offseason for this bad idea league would be during the NFL season. so the bad idea league players would be fat and out of shape.
     
  31. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Exactly! Teams organized by NFL rules. Playing the NFL game. Supported by the NFL juggernaut so that games are televised and teams are merchandized etc...

    Coaches teaching NFL game. Ref's calling an NFL game. Players learning the NFL game. Everybody getting PAID!

    1500 players make the team in the NFL. How do you develop a talent pool with experience? Where do coaches go to grow? College game is completely different with few exceptions. Listen to GMs and coaches talk about how hard it is to get OL talent. They aren't trained to ply NFL game at all in college. Rules are different.

    I would totally go see the Tacoma Rainiers play the Austin Steers or the Raleigh Smokers or the Colombus Explorers, etc for $10-$20 a seat and some reasonably priced merchandise. Especially if they were playing the Dolphins farm team, the

    Honolulu HumuHumunukunukuapuaa's
     

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