Some late round draft picks in the 2010 NFL draft are going to have an interesting decision on their hands. Let us say from the fifth round on, players are going to have to decide if they want to be a third stringer on a NFL team, or a member of a NFL team’s practice squad, or go to the UFL and possibly start.
The UFL will hold its second annual draft the week before the 2010 NFL draft, and they will surely select some players that will also be selected by NFL teams. For those of you who have written off the UFL already, you may have done so prematurely.
Whenever a successful rival league has popped up all the drama has popped up around the draft. The AFL and NFL battled each other effectively raising the player’s salaries that it forced the merger. The USFL was able to pay big contracts to players, and for the three years in was in existence signed the reining Heisman Trophy winner to that league.
Now the UFL is not positioning itself as an equal to the NFL, but as an unofficial minor league, and the true test of the UFL’s strength will come next week after their championship game when all their players will be free to sign with NFL teams.
If a significant number of players are picked up by NFL teams for the stretch run that will effectively solidify the UFL as a developmental league for the NFL. However we could argue that this distinction could have already happened.
We could make an effective argument that Michael Vick would have been better served to play the 2009 UFL season, instead of signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as their third string QB.
Vick has done virtually nothing to prove that he is ready to be a NFL starting QB with his time in Philly. Had he signed with the UFL he likely would have started and been able to showcase his talents for NFL scouts. Instead Vick has seen action is just seven NFL games and thrown only two completions. That is not enough to win him a starting job on a NFL team, and he likely will not be back in Philly next year.
Of course this is not the first time a league has established itself as a developmental league, that distinction belongs to NFL Europe. While that league was, for the most part, a complete disaster it did allow several big name NFL players helped their careers there.
Jon Kitna, Brad Johnson, Jake Delhomme, Kurt Warner, Damon Huard, Kelly Holcomb, Jay Fiedler, Scott Mitchell, and Adam Vinatieri all got some experience playing in NFL Europe. Say what you will about that list but there are several Super Bowl rings there, and a few players who helped lead teams to a Super Bowl.
The Arena Leagues, and the CFL do not allow the development of true NFL talent because the rules are different, teams in those leagues are looking for different kinds of players than what NFL teams are looking for, but playing American style football 11 on 11 has some benefit for potential NFL players and its teams.
Furthermore, with the NCAA adopting the 85 scholarship limit many more smaller college teams are competitive and while these players are good many of them will not be NFL ready come draft day. It seems that a developmental league would serve everyone’s best interest.
Comments
The NFL really ought to begin scouting smaller market cities especially where there is no big NCAA presence to see if they could indeed support a developmental team much the same way small market cities all clamor for minor league teams. A town like Dayton Ohio, a short drive up I-75 from Cincinnati also supports the Dayton Dragons, a minor league franchise of the Reds and nearly every game sells out every year.
Nearly every major market has smaller "satellite" cities with sufficient populations to support them so in my view the NFL ought to be allowing individual teams top develop their own minor leagues and also allow them to put players under contract to protect them much better than the current practice squad system where any team can snatch them up if they want to.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!