Thank the CBA for a lot of bad NFL football.

Manziel Money

NOTE: On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed the news of the day including details about the Brady case and broke down the Browns offense in detail. We discussed which players will make the roster and which will be cut.

The quality of play in the NFL is going down. That has nothing to do with the quality of the athletes. Every season the rookies get better and more athletic. Rather we can blame the CBA and the sloppy practice habits of NFL teams.

I have always believed that the success in the season is determined before the 1st snap of the 1st game. It is the mental and physical preparation that happens in training camp and the preseason that determines how successful the team will be.

Anyone that has watched the NFL channel training camp coverage has to be surprised at the amount of time spend just standing around. The current CBA reduces the amount of practice time dramatically. But the NFL coaches have not adjusted to the limits well.

One of the things that I have been very critical of the coaching the QBs get. One of the biggest issues is the lack of physical repetitions that the 2nd and 3rd QBs get. While “mental” reps help, there is no substitute for physical repetitions.

Back in the Dark Ages when I coached semi-pro football, we had a limited amount of practice time because everybody had jobs. Our practices would start at 6 PM two days a week and go until dark. We would set up both the first and second team offenses on each 45 yard line going different directions. With the coaches between the groups, each side would alternate snaps. That doubled the number of reps that each group got. That not only helped the QB but the WR, RB and defensive back groups as well. Meanwhile the O and D line groups were doing work elsewhere. Those groups were working back to back as well.

Given the lack of NFL ready QB prospects coming out of college football, the NFL has to do a better job giving reps and individual coaching to young players. The QB coach has to spend most of his time with the starter. Why not bring in a QB specialist coach to develop the younger guys at the position?

The NFL no longer has a developmental league. A league that generates 10 billion dollars a year should spend some of it to develop players. That would also help develop coaches and refs as well.

So when you watch NFL practices, watch for teams standing around. The more standing the less wins at the end of the season.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK. Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend. My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports. Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

He also edits .

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

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