Don’t expect the NFL Draft to move back to April anytime soon.

NFL Draft (2)

The NFL owns August through early February by virtue of the season and playoffs. It owned March and April with free agency and the draft in previous years. This year the NFL used an excuse of the venue being scheduled requiring a move to May 8-10th. That did not happen. Why would any venue, even one as well known as Radio City Music Hall, schedule something to conflict with a hugely popular event like the NFL draft? They wouldn’t.

The show that was supposedly scheduled was canceled but the NFL had already set the date for May.

Here is the truth. The NFL wanted to take May back from Major League Baseball. The draft is the best way to do that. The anticipation prior to the draft will keep sports talk shows talking about the NFL. I am lucky because since NNR started on the air in January of 2011, after week 5 all the Browns fans want to talk about is the NFL Draft.

The NFL will also dominate talk for the rest of May due to discussions of what teams did and should have done. The league has stolen May from MLB and has no desire Read more at FryingPanSports

Is the NFL Getting Generous with the Compensatory Picks?

NFL Draft

The announcement of the 2014 compensatory picks continued the trend of higher and higher awards. Each year the league awards 32 selections based on a formula more secret than the that of Coke. But the league is seeing more 3rd and 4th round picks in recent years. This is the list of picks per round awarded from 2011 through 2014.

 

 

 

The improved picks are a direct result of the increased salaries paid to free agents. As the salary cap continues to increase, the compensatory picks will continue to be more and more valuable. It is hard to tell if any team will eventually get a 1st round pick. But the impact of the picks and free agent dollars will continue to make allowing good players to leave as free agents.

 

At some point the cost of luring a free agent may become too high. Until then free agents will leave and the value of the awarded picks will continue to grow.

 

 

That is what I think. Tell us what you think.

 

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