Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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2. Is the regular season expanding to 17 games? Is the preseason shrinking from four to three contests?
Not for 2020, but the opportunity to do both of these things was a big part of the deal.
ESPN's Dan Graziano has a thorough recap of the CBA here in which he notes that NFL Owners have a window from 2021 to 2023 to expand the regular season from 16 to 17 games. Graziano wrote that the two sides "haven't had substantive discussions" yet about how such a change would be implemented.
What remains to be seen?
A. How would the 17th opponent be determined? Would an extra AFC-NFC game be added?
The NFL currently uses a scheduling formula that involves home-and-away games against division opponents, four games against another division within the conference and four games against a division from the opposite conference. That creates a total of 14 games. The other two opponents are from within the conference and based on teams' respective order of finish.
NFC North teams are playing the NFC South and AFC South in 2020. NFC North teams will visit NFC West teams for a second consecutive season (Minnesota is again at Seattle) and host NFC East teams (the Cowboys will visit the Vikings).
B. How would the league determine who gets nine home games in a season vs. eight? Would it rotate by conference from year to year?
Assigning a ninth home game via conference and rotating might provide the most equity, given that teams will be vying within their conference for playoff spots.
NFL.com's Judy Battista noted that the 17th game could be held at a neutral site or internationally.
C. If teams do host nine regular-season games, would they then only host one preseason game and go on the road for two?
Although the preseason and regular season are different, a format like this would continue the 10 home games and 10 road games in which a team currently participates.
D. When will we know?
The uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically affecting multiple walks of life and causing adjustments to the NFL schedule, even in the offseason. The Annual League Meeting was scheduled for the end of this month/early April but has been canceled.
3. If the preseason is shortened, will it impact players on the bubble? How will younger players be developed?
Teams likely will just move up/expedite their evaluations of players through the offseason program and training camp.
As for developing younger players, there are a few provisions in the new CBA to increase opportunities on a team's practice squad:
A. Practice squads will increase from 10 players in 2019 to 12 for 2020 and 2021, including two players with unlimited accrued seasons. The size will increase to 14 in 2022, and that will include four players that will not max out their eligibility. Currently a player is limited to three years on a practice squad.
B. Under the new deal, teams will have the ability to elevate two players to the 53-man roster each week without a corresponding roster move, effectively providing the opportunity to increase the Active/Inactive roster to 54 or 55.
C. Teams also will be able to return a practice squad player who has been elevated back to the practice squad up to two times without that player having to clear waivers. This can help a team protect a player from getting poached by another team while accounting for short-term injuries.
D. P-squaders also will be eligible for 401(k) and tuition assistance benefits.