Food for Thought

[Justin-Chicago]

Let the cap run. Perhaps now there is less trading just for the sake of trading, but I actually believe that is a good thing. Forces trades that move talent both ways. For instance, my trade with Oakland for LB McKinley yesterday. Under the old rules, no way I make that deal, I just stockpile the talent. The cap forces the dispersement of talent. There may be less trades, but they are better trades.

[Matt-Jacksonville]

Justin has a valid point. We have just started seeing teams feeling the effects of the cap in the last two seasons or so. As things progress and if the cap tightens, we should start seeing more trades.

[Matt-Jacksonville]

Gentleman,
As I do some of my off season work it strikes me that we really need to take a hard look at our system.
I know long ago we voted on the cap/points ect but I could argue that each year that passes, the enthusiasm diminishes because trading has with it.
You guys are smart and clever and you know what real NFL GMs know, if the cap is causing teams to cut good players, no need to trade for them.

This creates a league where every 6 months coaches perk up perhaps and trade a little as we approach the draft but after that its quiet, too quiet.
In fact unless I am wrong we had ONE in season trade in 2036. That's crazy and not good for the league. This would be so much more interesting and fun if there were 25 trades in season.

If I were coaching, I would hate this model. It's boring to be honest. It makes me wonder if new people come in and think, ugh!
Cap, points, anti aging, unretirement rules and all the rest. I am certainly part of the problem of what is now a bloated bureaucracy.
I think we need to have a system that embraces more trading, not smothers it.

I am curious what you all think.

I believe this actually reflects the NFL pretty accurately. Yes, we see NFL trades in season, but more teams tend to trade the most in the offseason to create cap space for the draft and free agency.

[Dean-Atlanta]

My salaries are 162,250,000 before drafting 6 rookies. They will dd 3 million, so about 165.25 million?

What is the cap for this season?

[James-Eagles]

. They are simple and they worked for over 20 seasons before the cap Less is likely more in this case.

I don't agree that it worked. I watch a lot of teams get complete destroyed by mismanagement of points. There is a learning curve to them. Needing to understand 1 year contracts are almost always bad. Free Agents over 1 or 2 point are rarely a good value. Understanding some players are better cut and signed as Free Agents vs extending etc. To clam it is simple is underselling how much of a pain it can be to learn when joining the league. It also can end up putting coaches in their 2nd or 3rd year worst than starting over. I can say this from experience. I miss managed points my first 4-5 season pretty bad.
I am just saying if we want to be friendly to new people we already have one of the steeps learning curves in game planning to win games. If you add a point base mini-game that is pretty unforgiving. It can make it less appealing.


As for the trades vacuum, I would say it is more a product of how people value talent and want for their talent. People want extreme value but the problem is when both sides want it. It creates a no trade situation. It is a maturing of GMs. I would say both sides are willing to accept no trade instead of trying to make one work when they can't agree on value.

[James-Eagles]

Let the cap run. Perhaps now there is less trading just for the sake of trading, but I actually believe that is a good thing. Forces trades that move talent both ways. For instance, my trade with Oakland for LB McKinley yesterday. Under the old rules, no way I make that deal, I just stockpile the talent. The cap forces the dispersement of talent. There may be less trades, but they are better trades.

I see no problem with hording talent but I don't think you would as much as you saying. I would say you would make more moves if there were no contracts or caps. There is less risk in have your bench be younger since you don't have to worry about if you can resign etc. I would say it change roster building complete and should create a more balance approach. There will be some people who will go all old or all young but with time everyone will end up going to a more spread out roster. If rosters are balance than a top team that is close might make the extra push I like did a few season ago where I moved youth and picks to boost my starters up. It creates nature trade situation for win-win trading.


I personally don't like either system.
I think the Cap doesn't work especially with retirement as a method of cuting someone without them hitting Free Agency.

I see no point in the pint systems. It just adding complexity(even if minor) for no real gain.

I am cool with whatever. I just saying for people joining this league the less rules the better. As for Free Agent signing we could use a waiver wire system that anyone who has played Fanasty football would understand. Heck no point could be really fun because we could have a snake draft for Free agents at the beginning of the season.

[Steve-LA Chargers]

The point system is necessary for free agency. It keeps it simple for the commish to have a bidding method for FAs. And ultimately, it's all they are really used for other than restructures ... not everyone uses them for anti-aging. Waiver wires are too cumbersome to manage - especially for full leagues. You can't simply abolish the current point system without suggesting a simpler solution that works for both commish and coach to manage FAs.

[Shawn-Giants]

I actually gave what James mentioned alot of thought, it sounded like a well thought out idea but we have been using the point system for some time and it helps in FA as Steve mentioned.

Losing it, the juice isn't worth the squeeze. Some people prefer checkers over chess and vice versa, if anything create a getting started guide for new coaches that go over these gotch'as to help aide the transition into the league, or create a probation period where the league continues to manage the GM side and just accept plays and gameplans submission, that way there's vested interest and the goal of getting access to total control of the team requires time.

I'm all for change, but the current process/system isn't broken, I don't see the need to fix it. We have to advertise to the other leagues that have active owners, this isn't for everyone so the idea of removing systems and processes to make it more appealing or easy, is not going to suddenly create flood gates of interested coaches.