Remove preseason matches?

[MossyMoss]

I wonder what is everyone's take on this? Is it really necessary to play meaningless games and risk losing players to injury for nothing or it is necessary to warm up the bodies and test out plays and feel out the players on the roster if they fit the grand scheme? 

I personally want to shorten it, what is your take?

[Danand]

I would prefer, that the teams have the players on their roster longer. Pre season practice is for everyone but mostly younger players and fringe players. Pre season games is basically an opportunity to test those players in gameday situations and the more younger and fringe players get a chance to show themselves, the better players we get instant of a cut down early on TC.

The Rams played backups, rookies and fringe players last year and rested their starters, they did ok. We could see other teams with a similar approach, so I don't see it as a risk of losing starting players.

[UtahUtesFan]

Keep it or shorten it to 3 preseason games. 1 home game, 1 road game, 1 neutral site game.

NFL could have 16 neutral site preseason games in various locations. 

[ET80]

I don't mind it. If they wanted to flip two of those games into regular season games and go 18 games, I'd be OK with it.

[Danger]

Make it 3 weeks, give teams an extra bye week during the season. Better player health, better quality product on the field, and the Preseason isn't making you much money anyways.

[SBLIII]

2 preseason games are enough.

[tom cody]

Option 2. 3 games are enough. 1 vs. a divisional rival, 1 vs. a conference rival and 1 vs. a team in the other conference. 

[AlNFL19]

I think the teams need 4 games in the preseason sometimes to both get their guys ready and cut the roster down to 53.

[Heinz D.]

11 hours ago, ET80 said:

I don't mind it. If they wanted to flip two of those games into regular season games and go 18 games, I'd be OK with it.

I wouldn't be. Coaches would be playing their best players even more if the games mattered--unless there was some sort of convoluted snaps and minutes rule put in place which would simply end up as a comedy of errors anyways. Sixteen games is pushing it, as is. And rosters need to be expanded, even under the current model. 

8 hours ago, Danger said:

Make it 3 weeks, give teams an extra bye week during the season. Better player health, better quality product on the field, and the Preseason isn't making you much money anyways.

Actually, the preseason makes them all kinds of money. Which is part of the problem as to the owners wanting to tweak anything. 

[N4L]

12 minutes ago, Heinz D. said:

I wouldn't be. Coaches would be playing their best players even more if the games mattered--unless there was some sort of convoluted snaps and minutes rule put in place which would simply end up as a comedy of errors anyways. Sixteen games is pushing it, as is. And rosters need to be expanded, even under the current model. 

I agree 100%. I think the NFL needs to have a short term IR/DL like baseball if they aren't going to expand the rosters. If a guy is going to be out for a month, teams should be able to shut him down without doing so for the whole season. 

Only a matter of time before the whole 53 is active. No reason to have guys inactive honestly

 

13 minutes ago, Heinz D. said:

Actually, the preseason makes them all kinds of money. Which is part of the problem as to the owners wanting to tweak anything. 

As a season ticket holder, it sucks paying full price for preseason games that happen on random days with random players.

[BayRaider]

Remove tackling in the preseason

[El Ramster]

would love to see pre season be abolished or just made where non veterans with 3+ - 5+ years of experience can't play.

Let the young pups go out and go ham. 

[Nabbs4u]

6 hours ago, AlNFL19 said:

I think the teams need 4 games in the preseason sometimes to both get their guys ready and cut the roster down to 53.

This!

Starters already don't play in 2 of the 4 games. A Drive here, a QT there, a 1/2 in the 3rd game, sit the 4th. 

Injuries are fluke and over blown. Those same exact Injuries will now occur in week 1 or 3. 

You cut the games to 2, then what? Starters play a 1/2 the first game? Do they play they 2nd? How do you find and cut the back end if your roster down with 2 gms? If starters are getting reps, 4th and 6th stringers aren't. 

There's  nothing wrong with 4 preseason games.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Nabbs4u

[INbengalfan]

21 hours ago, tom cody said:

Option 2. 3 games are enough. 1 vs. a divisional rival, 1 vs. a conference rival and 1 vs. a team in the other conference. 

In the preseason?  Dear lord no.  The league should never consider adding a divisional game to the preseason.    I'm fine with the one home, one road, and one neutral site.  

 

I wish they would play more geographic, but non divisional, games more.  The Bengals and Colts play every preseason week 4  It's a short drive.  The rams and Chargers should start  doing that too.  Philly/Pitt, Detroit/Cleveland, the Giants/Jets, Houston/Dallas, etc.  

Edited May 10, 2019 by INbengalfan

[SmittyBacall]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:19 AM, Danand said:

I would prefer, that the teams have the players on their roster longer. Pre season practice is for everyone but mostly younger players and fringe players. Pre season games is basically an opportunity to test those players in gameday situations and the more younger and fringe players get a chance to show themselves, the better players we get instant of a cut down early on TC.

The Rams played backups, rookies and fringe players last year and rested their starters, they did ok. We could see other teams with a similar approach, so I don't see it as a risk of losing starting players.

Right. I think you nailed the fundamental function of the preseason - for fringe players to compete for the final few roster spots and put out tape for other teams for if they get cut. So in that respect the starters really aren't at risk of injury because they're not playing until the final few drives of the final game.