The NFL has been flirting with the concept of a developmental league, one that according to Sports Illustrated would serve as a minor-league type of system for young players to sharpen their skills and help transition to the varsity league.
Let’s put a halt to this idea up before it gets too much traction.
The NFL has attempted similar types of leagues in the past — NFL Europe for instance — but it has never amounted to anything close to as successful or sustaining as the NBA D-League or the MLB minor-league farm system. And it can never can be.
What is the most glaring issue in the NFL of today, tomorrow and yesterday? Injuries. Concussions. Careers coming to an end prematurely.
The NFL is a unique sport that — unlike basketball or baseball — requires contact on every play. By forcing younger players into a development league prior to the NFL, they are at an even greater risk of suffering career-ending or career-altering injuries before they have a chance to make their NFL debuts.
With basketball or baseball, it’s a natural progression. A lot of players need a transitional league between high school or college or leagues overseas before they can step onto the professional stage. But with football, the college ranks is that transitional league.
The SEC is essentially a collection of college players in a minor-league system. And the same can be said for a lot of other major conferences. More than baseball or basketball, football produces first-year players who can have immediate impacts in its league. Sure, it’s more likely a player will be a third-string special teamer or fail to make the team more often than a rookie star is born, but it is still a higher percentage than any other league.
Practice squads work to the same effect as a developmental league. Young players get to compete against the first-string units to hone their skills, get their reps and eventually crack rosters. Victor Cruz, for instance, developed as a practice-squad player and impressed during the pre-season until he became so good the New York Giants had no choice but to promote him to the 53-man roster.
A player could shine in the developmental league, too, but not translate into a strong player in the NFL. It’s the same concept as a shortstop batting .388 with 26 home runs and 70 RBI in Triple-A, but is a dud when he gets a shot with the big club and winds up getting demoted three weeks later.
The only thing we’re risking with an NFL farm system is more injuries. Players have the opportunity to grow, learn and eventually get an opportunity to play in today’s NFL, and it has worked for many players already. In a league where the most prominent issue is injury, there’s no need to put more players in a position to see their career never materialize.
