(10-22-2017 09:37 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(10-22-2017 03:31 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Player development in the NFL is so unlike MLB and NBA.

So much of what the NFL does is scheme based that you cannot just a call a random player up from the Memphis Pharaohs or Salt Lake Stars and plug them easily into the line-up.

The ideal NFL player development league would be say a 6 or 8 team league based in Southern California or the Southwest and maybe another in the Southeast playing about 8-10 games in February, March, and April with the players going into the draft and free agent pool ahead of the draft.

Just a place for the guy who made it to the late cut or stuck on taxi squad to go and work and develop. Maybe allow guys who just finished their eligibility and look like UDFA's to go straight from college to improve their stock as well.

A US based league isn't going to be a big TV draw or draw at the gate but a low cost developmental league could have a very positive impact on team depth.

That's not a bad idea actually. I think setting it up in the southeast would work well. It's a region that already loves football and the climate is conducive to making it work.

Orlando, Birmingham, Memphis, Austin, San Antonio, and somewhere in the Dallas Suburbs would all be solid. If they don't mind doubling up in current NFL cities Miami, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Houston could all come in to play and they could save money by utilizing existing league facilities.

I would stay out of NFL sized stadiums but making double usage of NFL training facilities would be a great cost saver if feasible.

Texas with so many smaller FBS stadiums and FCS stadiums could easily host eight teams and keep travel expenses down. Ideally you want a setup like spring training with the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues where teams never have to board an airplane and don't have to bus extreme distances.