Is this enough to fully prepare a football team for the regular season. Seems awful light to me. Not too long ago the Giants would have 12 practices in one week.
And they wonder why so many injuries? Even with the players who go through training camp are not in game shape. And the rookies suffer the most in regards to learning the system.
I'm hardly an expert, but it seemed to me that during the last CBA negotiations, the union was less concerned with maximizing their slice of the revenue pie, and more concerned with making training camp a lot easier for the veterans.
It's also why the action on the field is largely sub-par
Until 4,5,6 weeks into the season. Lots of missed tackles, fumbles, wrong routes run, too many men on the field and false start penalties, etc. But by that point, there have been major injuries, too. Certainly we are seeing a weakened product on Sundays in large part b/c of the new CBA and its limitations on training camp practices.
RE: It's also why the action on the field is largely sub-par
Until 4,5,6 weeks into the season. Lots of missed tackles, fumbles, wrong routes run, too many men on the field and false start penalties, etc. But by that point, there have been major injuries, too. Certainly we are seeing a weakened product on Sundays in large part b/c of the new CBA and its limitations on training camp practices.
Good point. Just look at the Giants openers the last few seasons. Just sloppy, ugly, shitshows of games that poorly represent what football is.
This is why more than ever now, the NFL doesn't really "feel" like the NFL until around November. It takes about half the season until teams really start to play fundamentally sound football.
NFL football is NFL football and I will watch and enjoy it every week regardless but the quality of the early season games has clearly declined in recent years.
I agree with everyone here that it's not nearly enough.
Perhaps the NFLPA will consider some changes to this down the line, as long as some of the extra practices are done w/o pads...I can understand the concern regarding concussions, but there are ways, as I suggest, to mitigate that concern w/o eliminating practices. Two-a-days used to be the norm, sometimes 3-a-days. This is ridiculous, and certainly helps veteran teams in comparison to younger groups.
the players union desired to take less risk to the health of the players by fewer practices. I think they could easily have more practices even w/o using pads. It does take until October or so for the game to not be sloppy. Shame.
There is definitely a disconnect with what the players want
and what is being represented. Not all players agree with this but this was what the NFLPA wanted. I personally think this has led to more injuries. Imo, it is like the eqivalent of a starting pitcher in baseball not being allowed to warm up and trying to reach the max on their fast ball. No matter how much you train you really cannot simulate football. These players are expected basically work out on their own and be full go for their limited practices since there ar so few.
I don't think enough research was put into this. I am not talking about taking it to the extreme and having these guys go with triples every day but there has to be a middle ground.
I keep saying this but the players put themselves in basically a no win situation. The owners do not care about this but if the players want it to change that will be looked at as another opportunity for the owners to get something they want. Then you add the weed part in. I truly doubt the owners give a shit about the players smoking weed. But I guarantee that the players will want it put into the next CBA and the owners will pretend like they care while screwing the players over.
Long story short, the players need better representation.
I remember the first training camp practice I went to in 2003
It's really hard to believe. But that's how the game has "evolved."
I think the idea behind less practices in camp, well, it comes from the CBA union and players who don't want to get beat up in tough camps. I'm guessing they figure "on the job" learning is the way to go. You will see more mental mistakes early than in years past.
I also think this impacts the ability of a rookie to produce right away. I mean, I think D. Thompson has a good chance of starting opening day at FS, mid-fielder. But one mistake by him due to inexperience and WR Bryant has 6 points. Do you go with a veteran like B. Jackson instead? While B. Jackson has never started a real NFL game he has been in the league 3 years and played some. I just don't know.
Last word: off-season programs are probably more sophisticated now than they were 20 or more years ago. More "cerebral" with game film, stats and so forth. That is maybe another reason why real practices are cut back???
I'm hardly an expert, but it seemed to me that during the last CBA negotiations, the union was less concerned with maximizing their slice of the revenue pie, and more concerned with making training camp a lot easier for the veterans.
It's all a give and take. Remember, the owners were dangling expansion to 18 game seasons at the time.
IIRC, in exchange for lighter practices, the players union gave the concession for the commissioner to be in charge of discipline.
Bennett Jackson hasn't done anything since he's been drafted. Zip, zilch, nada. He hasn't "played some." He hasn't played at all. He's a "veteran" only in the sense that he's hung around for three years. Feel free to check out his profile at NFL.com, linked below. Bennett Jackson at NFL.com - ( New Window )
Bennett Jackson hasn't done anything since he's been drafted. Zip, zilch, nada. He hasn't "played some." He hasn't played at all. He's a "veteran" only in the sense that he's hung around for three years. Feel free to check out his profile at NFL.com, linked below. Bennett Jackson at NFL.com - ( New Window )
So this is his third camp and you don't think he brings some experience to the game? I agree, he's been hurt and as a rookie he wasn't on the active roster - raw kid who had to learn.
It is a shame he was hurt last year but if he bounces back from the ACL who is going to compete for nickel CB and FS duties. He knows the defensive scheme since he was here last year and has been part of the off-season.
Do I expect him to be a starter or superb nickel CB? Nope. But I'd be psyched if he did pan out!
I could be wrong, but I think you misread Klatuu here.
And they wonder why so many injuries? Even with the players who go through training camp are not in game shape. And the rookies suffer the most in regards to learning the system.
Good point. Just look at the Giants openers the last few seasons. Just sloppy, ugly, shitshows of games that poorly represent what football is.
NFL football is NFL football and I will watch and enjoy it every week regardless but the quality of the early season games has clearly declined in recent years.
I don't think enough research was put into this. I am not talking about taking it to the extreme and having these guys go with triples every day but there has to be a middle ground.
I keep saying this but the players put themselves in basically a no win situation. The owners do not care about this but if the players want it to change that will be looked at as another opportunity for the owners to get something they want. Then you add the weed part in. I truly doubt the owners give a shit about the players smoking weed. But I guarantee that the players will want it put into the next CBA and the owners will pretend like they care while screwing the players over.
Long story short, the players need better representation.
I also think this impacts the ability of a rookie to produce right away. I mean, I think D. Thompson has a good chance of starting opening day at FS, mid-fielder. But one mistake by him due to inexperience and WR Bryant has 6 points. Do you go with a veteran like B. Jackson instead? While B. Jackson has never started a real NFL game he has been in the league 3 years and played some. I just don't know.
Last word: off-season programs are probably more sophisticated now than they were 20 or more years ago. More "cerebral" with game film, stats and so forth. That is maybe another reason why real practices are cut back???
It's all a give and take. Remember, the owners were dangling expansion to 18 game seasons at the time.
IIRC, in exchange for lighter practices, the players union gave the concession for the commissioner to be in charge of discipline.
Bennett Jackson at NFL.com - ( New Window )
It is a shame he was hurt last year but if he bounces back from the ACL who is going to compete for nickel CB and FS duties. He knows the defensive scheme since he was here last year and has been part of the off-season.
Do I expect him to be a starter or superb nickel CB? Nope. But I'd be psyched if he did pan out!
That said, no reason they couldn't have one contact session in the AM and then shells w/o contact in the PM.