The Need For Minor League Professional Football

The time is coming within the foreseeable future when the NFL is going to have to develop it's minor league system. Why? Because their feeder system/s aren't working. Injuries and disciplinary problems are causing teams to not have key players available when they are most needed.


The practice squads aren't large enough even with this years expansion allowing 16 foreign to act as practice squad members. There has been a guarantee that the needed replacement for a injured or disciplined player would be available on the teams practice squad. The team then has to go to the waiver wires or to the list of people cut in training camp or to the players that have just finished their league play in the AFL. This player list has no guarantees of available players as their teams have only Wide Receivers, QBs and offensive linemen. Most of these player double up on defense. The Canadian Football League Players are usually still playing their season and are not available.

The colleges and universities are in the middle of tough economic times. The old debate as what is the mission of the colleges and universities is beginning the heat up again. It's hard to explain to the citizens of any state why their athletic programs should be getting financial help while the academic side is cutting faculty, raising tuition and having to have too large classes. The colleges and Universities are going to finally look to the NFL to make some changes in their approach using the colleges as their major feeder system.

If you read the Knight Commission Report you'll see what action the Colleges and Universities Administration believe is they need to take to correct the problem.