2011 NFL Offseason

[brinoch]

I know this is early, but I thought it might be useful to talk about what people might like to see in the offseason with respect to the new CBA. Personally, I seriously doubt there will be a lockout. It's not in either party's interest. There's a lot of talk of going to 18 games. If so, I think you'll likely see:

 

1. Preseason schedule reduced by 1-2 games

2. Another bye week added

3. IR rules changes to allow players to return after recovery, including potential expansion of PUP list and allow PUP list usage throughout the season.

4. Roster expansion of 3-5 players

5. Transition tag reform

 

I think you'll also have to see some kind of salary cap and a rookie salary cap, with the players wanting to see the franchise tag changed. My guess is that the players will give a stricter rookie salary cap for a looser (or no) overall salary cap.

 

I don't think you'll see playoff expansion and there definitely will not be league expansion.

[NCCubFan]

I don't think there will be a long-term lockout either. Perhaps there will be one immediately after expiration of the current CBA, but I'd expect it to be resolved by the beginning of training camp if not earlier. I too think the season will expand to 18 games with preseason reduced to two games and a second bye week. A couple changes I'd like to see, even though I haven't read anything about them being considered. First, I'd like to see an NBA-style soft cap rather than a hard cap, where teams would be allowed to exceed the cap to re-sign their own players but not to sign players from other teams. I'd also like to see reform of the rules for injured reserve, specifically to allow a team to place a player on IR for a specified number of weeks without missing the entire year (similar to the physically unable to play list, where a player misses at least the first six games of the season, but extending it through the entire year). I'd also like to reform instant replay so that a team has as many challenges as needed until they've had two unsuccessful challenges. I don't think a team should be out of challenges after a successful one, because that is really punishing a team for the officials' mistake. Also, I'd like to see a team given the option of taking a delay-of-game penalty rather than burning a time-out after an unsuccessful challenge.

[rawaction]

Also, it's Black Monday!

 

Fox is gone from Carolina. Rumors are Marvin Lewis, Eric Mangini, and Tom Cable are getting the axe at least today.

[Banedon]

Also, it's Black Monday!

 

Fox is gone from Carolina. Rumors are Marvin Lewis, Eric Mangini, and Tom Cable are getting the axe at least today.

 

Cable surprises me a bit. First time they've hit .500 since they were in the 2002 SB.

[jersey cubs fan]

No idea about the lockout. I'd have no problem with an 18 game season, but that is going to definitely involve 2 less preseason games, keeping the total at 20, or 10 home gates per team. I'd hate to see an NBA style soft cap. The NFL's cap works perfectly fine as is and I hope they keep it, with some modification to rookie pools.

[Banedon]

No idea about the lockout. I'd have no problem with an 18 game season, but that is going to definitely involve 2 less preseason games, keeping the total at 20, or 10 home gates per team. I'd hate to see an NBA style soft cap. The NFL's cap works perfectly fine as is and I hope they keep it, with some modification to rookie pools.

 

Yeah...I have no issues with the NFL cap. Just tweak rookie pools and IR.

[dew1679666265]

Adam Schefter twitter:

 

Those waiting to see what happens with Bengals and their HC will have to wait. It's supposed to take a few days before any decisons made.

[dew1679666265]

Schefter again:

 

Filed to ESPN: Giants CEO John Mara was adamant in saying Tom Coughlin will return as head coach. #NYG

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

On a selfish note, I'm happy to exchange the 2 preseason games for 2 regular season games. I have to buy the preseason anyway at the same price and so it would allow me to exchange a worthless preseason ticket for a regular season one.

 

Personally, I wish the NFL would do away with the cap and give players guaranteed contracts. This would cause the owners to have to be more fiscally responsible with their contract decisions.

 

I know people will say the NFL would end up like baseball and lose pairity without the cap, but if they kept revenue sharing where it is, I don't think it would be as bad as people predict.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Mangini fired.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/03/browns-fire-eric-mangini/

[rawaction]

I still contend the 18-game season is a ploy. I don't think anyone wants an 18-game season. The owners just want money. They want the players to get a lesser % of the revenue than they are currently receiving. The only way that's going to happen is that the players agree to keep getting paid the same, but over 18 games. Or the players agree to a certain % of revenue to their pay (including a rookie cap), and keep it at 16 games. So, either the owners make more $ on 16. Or they basically get an extra home game per team on 18 game schedule.

[jersey cubs fan]

I still contend the 18-game season is a ploy. I don't think anyone wants an 18-game season. The owners just want money. They want the players to get a lesser % of the revenue than they are currently receiving. The only way that's going to happen is that the players agree to keep getting paid the same, but over 18 games. Or the players agree to a certain % of revenue to their pay (including a rookie cap), and keep it at 16 games. So, either the owners make more $ on 16. Or they basically get an extra home game per team on 18 game schedule.

 

That makes a lot of sense, but I really think they want to do something about the worthless preseason games and how it's hurting the fan experience of attending. Despite most of the money being in TV, they still want full stadiums of excited fans. They've gotten a lot of blowback from season ticket holders who either get screwed by having to buy those, or just don't buy them at all. They also want to expand international regular season games, which means for some fans that is just 7 meaningful games and 2 worthless ones. I think they want to keep 10 home dates for everybody, but only having 1 exhibition.

[shnsajax]

Mangini fired.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/03/browns-fire-eric-mangini/

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Holmgren take over for McCoy's sake.

[dew1679666265]

Jason La Canfora tweets:

 

From what I've gathered on the Browns situation, I see John Fox landing there as head coach with Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator

 

Hearing people close to Cowher don't expect him to land in Miami at this point. Dolphins very well might fire Sparano, but hearing that ...Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland very likely to stay there. Cowher would want bigtime salary and make sweeping changes to football ops. So, unless...Some of the parameters of the Dolphins job change, I'm hearing Cowher not a fit there.

[UK1679666180]

Let the Jim Harbaugh courting begin.

 

Carolina, Den, SF, Clev. Cincy Ten I don't see NY Oak or Jax changing

 

I see him in SF with control. Denver will not give their next coach total control.

Edited January 3, 2011 by UK

[dew1679666265]

Let the Jim Harbaugh courting begin.

 

Carolina, Den, SF, Clev. Cincy

 

I see him in SF with control. Denver will not give their next coach total control.

 

Schefter's saying it'll be San Fran or Michigan for Harbaugh.

[rawaction]

I think Fox is a decent coach, but I'm surprised he's going to get another job so quickly. After all, he hasn't won anything, despite having some really good teams.

 

Speaking of Carolina, jus looked at their FAs. They could lose a ton of talent. Beason is the only LB under contract, Marshall is probably gone, their sack leader is a FA, DeAngelo Williams, Kalil, and I believe another OL.

[Soul]

Let the Jim Harbaugh courting begin.

 

Carolina, Den, SF, Clev. Cincy

 

I see him in SF with control. Denver will not give their next coach total control.

 

Schefter's saying it'll be San Fran or Michigan for Harbaugh.

 

Interesting...

 

I think I'd go Michigan.

[dew1679666265]

I think Fox is a decent coach, but I'm surprised he's going to get another job so quickly. After all, he hasn't won anything, despite having some really good teams.

 

Holmgren might be thinking that Fox helped build the Panthers up before they fell apart, so his hope is that Fox will help turn Cleveland into a solid team and then he turns the reins over to a younger coach.

 

Just speculation on my part, but it's the only thing that makes sense about hiring Fox, I think.

[UK1679666180]

He would have a 30 year run in Ann Arbor if he wanted, but he's a NFL guy. I see him going to SF and if it doesn't work going back to college ala Spurrier, Davis, Kiffin and Saban.

[Banedon]

I figured Fox would be a coordinator for a couple years before getting another HC chance.

[rawaction]

If Harbaugh goes to SF, does that mean they try to trade up for Luck?

 

I think they should try it anyway. SF isn't really that far off from being a legit competitor. Hell, they just lost 10 games and finished 1 game out in the NFC West. But they just spent 2 high picks on OL, have a great RB in Gore, have a great TE, a couple developing WRs in Crabtree and Morgan, and are a decent enough defense (13th in yards allowed).

[UK1679666180]

If Harbaugh goes to SF, does that mean they try to trade up for Luck?

 

I think they should try it anyway. SF isn't really that far off from being a legit competitor. Hell, they just lost 10 games and finished 1 game out in the NFC West. But they just spent 2 high picks on OL, have a great RB in Gore, have a great TE, a couple developing WRs in Crabtree and Morgan, and are a decent enough defense (13th in yards allowed).

I'm sure they would like to but Car would be stupid to do so. Harbaugh and Luck would viagra that franchise.

[rawaction]

If Harbaugh goes to SF, does that mean they try to trade up for Luck?

 

I think they should try it anyway. SF isn't really that far off from being a legit competitor. Hell, they just lost 10 games and finished 1 game out in the NFC West. But they just spent 2 high picks on OL, have a great RB in Gore, have a great TE, a couple developing WRs in Crabtree and Morgan, and are a decent enough defense (13th in yards allowed).

I'm sure they would like to but Car would be stupid to do so. Harbaugh and Luck would viagra that franchise.

 

I don't know if Carolina would be stupid. I think SF can afford to give up a Ricky Williams type package (aka almost an entire draft). They don't have a ton of holes other than QB. They got a bunch of young players that are going to improve.

[Guest]

I still think Harbaugh ends up in Ann Arbor.