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There is a Spring League now. It is called the NFL. Hundreds of players who will not be on NFL teams play and practice with an NFL team for the Spring and Summer. There are about 30 players per team or over 350 players in this situation. Would the NFL really be better off with a Spring League to send these player to? I think the NFL is better off with the players in various camps and practices.
It will never happen because of the risk of injuries.
One way of developing players would be to simply allow expanded roster through training camp and then allow say a 12 to16 person practice squad in addition to the 53. That way the practice squad allows injury protection and availability of players who are familiar with the schemes and familiar to the coaches and the rest of the team.
I'll admit I left the CFL out of the equation, but I hardly hear it talked about anymore, except when some total NFL washout (like Charles Rodgers) goes there and can't make it in that league either. You just never seem to hear about some breakout guy coming out of the CFL, or at least I don't. If I'm missing anyone feel free to give examples. And Warren Moon doesn't count, because everyone knew he would be good, but wouldn't start him for other reasons. And anyway I'm talking about recent players.
Cameron Wake
If there's that much more prime talent, I'd rather see the NFL expand or a competing league try to pull off what the AFL did 50 years ago.
It's a funny to read posts form people who clearly obsess about football to suggest they'd have no interest in watching a developmental league. Myself, I am bored to tears during the NBA/NHL season. But in fairness, I have had little to no interest in Arena League, the CFL, the XFL, the World League, etc. What WOULD interest me would be if instead of a dozen teams of prospects scattered in towns not affiliated with any NFL team, each NFL team had its OWN developmental team located in a nearby smaller market. For instance, the Bengals' developmental team could play in Lexington. And they could lease a college stadium in that town. (Such as UK's.). That way, each team's fanbase has a specific developmental team to follow. That, I think, would make it far more interesting. It would also be essential to play by NFL rules, and involve coaches and players currently on the roster. For instance, I think most teams would be happy to develop their #3 QB, or maybe even #2, in the spring. And many fans would like to see that player play. The NFL would essentially dramatically expand the practice squad. Keep the salaries low. Go after tv dollars in the spring/summer. Let stars serve as sideline reporters and commentators during their career. More jobs, more revenue, something for the fans to watch in the spring and summer other than the Draft. I think it has a lot of potential.
I doubt we'll ever see that again for two reasons - 1) as I mentioned earlier, it seems like there's barely enough talent good enough for the NFL as it is now, and 2) taking on the NFL today would be financial suicide. The USFL might still be around today if they had kept playing in the spring; they signed their own death certificate as soon as they decided to move to the fall.