NE-VT
On the Game Day Roster
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2014
- Messages
- 396
- Reaction score
- 970
The NFL claims to be concerned about player safety. In response to growing evidence about the long-term dangers of head-trauma, the NFL has instituted third party neurological reviews for player concussions that can force players to miss playing time. More generally, the NFL claims to be “committed to protecting all players and helping to create a healthier experience for athletes”.
Yet the current roster size limits is counter to this goal. Teams have a very limited number of game day available back-ups, as well as a very limited number of total roster spots compared to the number of positions. It only takes a few injuries in a certain position until the depth is completely depleted. This creates massive incentives for players to play injured. If they don’t, they risk being sent to IR just to free up more limited roster spots.
Consider a couple of recent examples:
1. The Texans played a game last Thursday in which their top three TEs were ruled out with concussions. Two of these TEs were put on IR simply to free up spots for temporary replacements (it is a testament to BOB that he was able to win with a rookie QB and no TEs on a short week, but that is a different story. Bungles). A marginal player is going hide concussions as much as possible if the alternative is being out for the season.
2. Consider the Patriots WR situation. The Patriots entered the game with only 3 active WRs, despite typically running 3 WR sets for large portions of their games. The Patriots are about an injury away from making roster moves just to free up sports for temporary WRs. Or perhaps Amandola will just feel internal pressure to come back a bit sooner than he should. Imagine if the Patriots could have kept Carr and/or Lucien as a project depth piece on their active roster. This injury bug would be much less of an issue.
If the NFL actually cared about player safety they would not create a system in which a player is afraid to lose their season to IR without having a season ending injury.
Yet the current roster size limits is counter to this goal. Teams have a very limited number of game day available back-ups, as well as a very limited number of total roster spots compared to the number of positions. It only takes a few injuries in a certain position until the depth is completely depleted. This creates massive incentives for players to play injured. If they don’t, they risk being sent to IR just to free up more limited roster spots.
Consider a couple of recent examples:
1. The Texans played a game last Thursday in which their top three TEs were ruled out with concussions. Two of these TEs were put on IR simply to free up spots for temporary replacements (it is a testament to BOB that he was able to win with a rookie QB and no TEs on a short week, but that is a different story. Bungles). A marginal player is going hide concussions as much as possible if the alternative is being out for the season.
2. Consider the Patriots WR situation. The Patriots entered the game with only 3 active WRs, despite typically running 3 WR sets for large portions of their games. The Patriots are about an injury away from making roster moves just to free up sports for temporary WRs. Or perhaps Amandola will just feel internal pressure to come back a bit sooner than he should. Imagine if the Patriots could have kept Carr and/or Lucien as a project depth piece on their active roster. This injury bug would be much less of an issue.
If the NFL actually cared about player safety they would not create a system in which a player is afraid to lose their season to IR without having a season ending injury.
