Zone Original: Does the NFL need a minor league system?

[LouGrant]

With U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin’s 70-page decision striking down the NFL’s current age requirements for college and high school players to enter the league’s entry draft, the NFL and NCAA have to come up with some sort of plan to handle the new landscape.

Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett challenged the NFL’s policy of excluding players who were 2 years or less removed from their graduating class in high school. The freshman sensation, who led the Buckeyes to a Fiesta Bowl victory and the 2002 BCS national championship, ran afoul of the team in 2003 with numerous off-field incidents. After sitting out the season on suspension, Clarett challenged the NFL in court to enter the draft and won. The fallout resulted in the draft opening up to anyone who wants to apply.

The alarmists immediately began to run around like chickens with their heads cut off declaring it would be the beginning of the end of college football as we know it. High school seniors, along with college freshmen and sophomores will be stampeding to the NFL draft. Come on people- let’s get real. The NFL, unlike the NBA, NHL, or MLB does not have summer leagues to sharpen their skills, or minor leagues to develop talent. In a tight salary cap world, players are expected to step in and replace costly veterans, or at a minimum, develop into contributors before their rookie 3-year deal runs out. With that in mind, NFL GMs will not invest valuable draft picks on projects. Most 18,19, and 20 year olds don’t possess the developed muscle mass, speed, or weight to take physical pounding the professional game displays.

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[Mr. Miyagi]

It's already in place. It's called NFL Europe.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mr. Miyagi
It's already in place. It's called NFL Europe.

I sure wouldn't call NFLE a developmental league. By the time there season is done they are so tired out that they don't have anything left in training camp to make the team. There are exception like the runningbacks that we have sent they tear it up in NFLE but having nothing to show the big club. Most teams use this league for an insurance policy on players they sign them for the league minimum them ship them out there and hope that one may have a future.

[casdhf]

The NFL Career span is too short to even consider anything other than summer leagues. Plus, I think the sport is too physical to start pro leagues at age 16, like hockey. Who knows though, may be worth looking into.

[Dozerdog]

I think NFL Europe is a joke right now. Only a handful of clubs send more than the minimal amount of players- and when was the last time Buffalo sent a QB to get some snaps?

There was that one kid, but he just returned kicks before having that wierd heart operation.

Considering how little action AVP or Brown saw, I see no reason why Travis Brown could not go there and start 4-5 games. Once an NFL player gets on a regular roster he is no longer elligible to go back.

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
and when was the last time Buffalo sent a QB to get some snaps?

Jim Ballard, I believe..following the 97 season...he had come to the Bills in 97 after playing in NFL Europe

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by The_Philster


Jim Ballard, I believe..following the 97 season...he had come to the Bills in 97 after playing in NFL Europe

This year Greg Zolman!

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by The_Philster
Jim Ballard, I believe..following the 97 season...he had come to the Bills in 97 after playing in NFL Europe

That was post NFLE.

The NFL needs a league where guys like Travis Brown, Antonio Brown, Joe Burns, Angelo Crowell, and Dominique Stevenson can get some playing time. Maybe not start in and play in a full summer league season, but if they took half the snaps they could develop. It's not like they are going to start here or "wear down" riding the pine.

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
That was post NFLE.

Yeah...but he went back following the 97 season. He was in NFL Europe in both 97 and 98...on our roster in 97 after we cut Billy Joe Bonehead
2/7 ALLOCATED QB JIM BALLARD NFL EUROPE SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
T MIKE ROCKWOOD
WR JERRY REESE
LB JOE CUMMINGS BARCELONA DRAGONS
WR MITCHELL GALLOWAY FRANKFURT GALAXY

It pays to keep track of this stuff

[helmetguy]

One major drawback to a minor league is that the NFL would have to first receive the same type anti-trust exemption that Major League Baseball enjoys. It was because of this exemption that Curt Flood was unsuccessful in his challenge to MLB's Reserve Clause. It is this clause that allows the MLB parent clubs to retain (reserve) the rights to a player in perpetuity. For example; say a player signs a one year contract with the organization. At the end of that year, the parent organization retains the sole rights to negotiate a new contract with the player for the subsequent year. Thus, a player would have sit out a full year after his contract expired before he could negotiate with any other organization.

The question regarding the Reserve Clause (also known as the "Rozelle Rule"), as it pertains to the NFL, was first addressed in a suit brought by the NFLPA in 1972 (John Mackey, et al. v. National Football League). In December of 1975, the court held that "[t]he Rozelle Rule constitutes a per se violation of the anti-trust laws." It also ruled :"The Rozelle Rule is unreasonably broad in its application...[and] is further unreasonable in that there are no procedural safeguards with respect to its employment. There is no hearing or opportunity to be heard...The Rozelle Rule is unreasonable in that it is unlimited in duration. It is a perpetual restriction on a player....He is at no time truly free to negotiate his services with any club..."

For a minor league system to be truly viable and beneficial to a franchise, a franchise needs a means to hold onto a player they hope will contribute 2-3 years up the line (as in the case of 18-20 year-old prospects). As you can see from the above discussion, the only way to circumvent the Mackey, et al. ruling, the prospects would be required to sign longer term minor league deals, which could place an inordinate financial burden on the parent club, as well as each individual minor league club.

[Dozerdog]

Doesn't the NFLPA have a system of FA'cy after 3 or 4 NFL seasons?


All that stuff is negotiable with the union. The union would love to add 10-12 rosters (300-400 players) to their union rolls.

[helmetguy]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
Doesn't the NFLPA have a system of FA'cy after 3 or 4 NFL seasons?


All that stuff is negotiable with the union. The union would love to add 10-12 rosters (300-400 players) to their union rolls.

Yes, But that was ironed out through collective bargaining, and only pertains to the NFLPA and the NFL. In baseball, minor league players are not represented by the MLBPA (partly as a result of MLB's anti-trust exemption). For the NFL to sponsor a minor league, they would still have to troll the murky waters of Sherman Anti-trust and the Clayton Act. While the union would certainly welcome the additional members, they'd be hard pressed to get the NFL to agree, without some concessions on the part of the union (like a reduction in thepercentage of designated revenues which the current CBA allocates toward salaries).

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by helmetguy
some concessions on the part of the union (like a reduction in thepercentage of designated revenues which the current CBA allocates toward salaries).

Somehow, I just don't see that happening anytime soon. Players are too willing to let their own salaries rise at a ridiculous rate to be concerned about anyone but themselves....not worrying about the future players.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I would call the NCAA the development league before I call NFL Europe one.

[hintexas]

Yes but the whole point is that now due to the Judges ruleing in the future a lot of players are not going to go to the NCAA anymore because money talks. While diplomas well not many NFL players are caring to much about having one of those (even now) when they are making the kind of money that a professional athelete makes.