An Uncapped World?
 

What would an UN-capped NFL World look like? How likely is it? How do you change or modify your actions so as to succeed in such an environment?

I used to believe that the NFL and the NFLPA would never go to an uncapped environment. But as we sit here, there is no negotiations. The NFL doesn't even have anybody to talk to. The position of head of the Union is vacant and won't be filled for several months. Then a newcomer will try to be tough and show his toughness. I am coming around to the fact that the NFL players can be just as stupid as the major league players. It seems a "Perfect Storm" is brewing.

It will take the death of several teams, and the baseball jobs, already discussed in Baseball, as a shock to force some rationality back on Baseball. But that is what is happening. Only a handful of baseball teams can win. Most know Day one, of spring training that they can't ever win. Many are losing money. In this environment some teams will fold.

I now believe that an UN-capped year, and maybe more, is coming to Football.

I'll wait to post my thoughts after I see what y'all think a Patriots team ought to do to succeed in such an environment.

Comments Anyone??

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

It'll destroy the sport.

That is, if the union follows up on the threat to never again agree to a salary cap.

If both happen, football will be destroyed.

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

Hard to say... some (do I sound like A. Sheffter ?) said that when baseball chose to "just" have a luxury tax, that the rich teams would be unbeatable. And, while they do seem to be more competitive, low buget teams are making the playoffs and winning the World Series.

"Destroy" seems quite harsh. From a Pats point of vue, I think the cap is what seperates them from the rest... managing player values is a strength.

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

Football as we know it would be over. I still dont see it happening, but there are some dummies that would flex there muscles.. I still think its going to get done, the leauge is the best sport around, and the joke of a sport baseball is..

I cant believe people would crucify Bill Belichick over some thing people have been doing for years, and he proved that he was smarter than most people.. While we are going to put people like Bonds, Mcguire ,Sosa, Rodriquez.. And spend all this stupid time on it... Baseball has and is a joke.. It should be a 12 team leauge...

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

One thing an uncapped world provides is an opportunity for the richer teams to acquire and develop stars not just as starters but as depth.

The Pats are one of the richer teams.

Matt Cassel is currently a backup... with his franchise tag expiring in (wait for it) 2010. Would he play behind Brady hoping to compete over the next couple of years? Maybe. In an uncapped world, suddenly 2 QBs is not only doable, it's preferable.

Do I think that's the "plan"? No. But I do find it interesting.

PFnV

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

There will be some changes but it's not going to be the equivalent of major league baseball.

First, the years of service a player needs to become a free agent will increase to six years. That means there will be about 170 fewer players that can become free agents.

Second, teams will be able to tag three players rather than one. Again, less players that will end up as free agents.

Third, playoff teams will be restricted in how many free agents they can sign, so it won't be a case of "the rich getting richer." The final four playoff teams cannot sign anybody else's unrestricted free agents with the exception of players that were cut. Playoff teams five through eight have a similar restriction, except they can sign one player with a salary of $4.9 mil, and any player with a salary of $3.2 mil.


Given that BB was ahead of the curve in understanding how to deal with the salary cap and build a winning team with those restraints, I'm guessing he'll again be ahead of the curve with these new rules in place.

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

Go to http://www.nflplayers.com/images/fck...20-%202012.pdf



Article XXI Final Eight plan. Lots of restrictions placed on teams. Also next year is Cassel played under his one year franchise deal and it is a un-capped year. He will be a RFA with a tender of 16 million.

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

Well, it's not going to be fun to be a fan in Buffalo, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Minnesota, Jacksonville, San Diego, Oakland, etc. if this happens.

Sure, the Patriots, Giants, Bears, Redskins and Cowboys would love it, but, something would be lost in all of it.

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

PatsFaninVirginia,

Good Thought.

That is a thought that struck me as too, I watched what was going on. Belichick is usually one step ahead of every one else. Why tag Cassel at the earliest moment? Why did Cassel accept the Tag at the earliest moment?

Just Suppose... He has decided to act on an assumption that there will be a UN-capped year or more.

Stockpiling two franchise QBs like San Francisco did in the pre-CAP years doesn't sound all that dumb at all, as you point out. :D:D:D

Could Belichick be trying to do what San Francisco did with Montana and Young, and be what he is trying to do? If he is, what other signs should we look for to ascertain that is his scheme?:confused:

What would you do with your other players?

Re: An Uncapped World?
 

Aren't those only temporary rules, agreed to in the last CBA? Things would probably change in 2012. How do you manage the transition years 2010, and then 2011 and 2012? What do you need to do different post 2012, when it could be wide open?? :confused: