Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster
How about a rookie "probation" period, like many jobs have...see how you do in the first 60 days or 6 months before hiring you permanently?
They could have the first 2 or 3 games as evaluation periods for drafted players and UDFA signings. Have expanded rosters with 58 or 60 players for that period so they can play and get a full tryout. In Week 3 or 4, the rosters must be cut down to 53, so either those rookies are cut or an end-f-the-bench player is released to keep the rookie.
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Not a bad idea but I still think and have often thought that in this day in age when players are flying around and hitting possibly harder then back in the 60's and 70's, the NFL should have a long time ago raised the roster numbers. I know there is better equipement to go along with the new age but I still think the roster should have been raised a long time ago.
They are allowed 53 plus 8 on the practice squad. Why not just make it 62 plus 8 on the practice squad. That makes an even 70.
I also like your idea with the Rookies. Maybe tell teams they can have and extra 10 players which are Rookies only, give the team a grace period to use them on in game situations to see how they perform, and give them a date to cut down to the 70 man roster.
I also like your idea with not signing them to a big contract until the teams see how their Rookie will fair in the NFL vs. giving them a big payday only to find out they are no good and yet still have to pay them or put a stipulation on their contract like how much a Rookie can earn the first 2 yrs but make it incentive based. The Rookie plays well, gets lots of playing time, and meets his incentives he gets paid for having done so.