Vikings Message Board.Com

In my opinion, if the NFL is committed to the vision of getting foreign born players onto NFL rosters, they should figure out a way to allow 1 or 2 roster spots that are exempt from the 53 and can only be filled by foreign players. Obviously, that has some logistical problems. There are plenty of teams who could game that with a couple of Haitian born players that were going to be on the roster anyway. Its problematic to prohibit foreign born players of one nationality from being on the list while allowing another, and its problematic to say, 1 german, 1 brit, 1 mexican, 1 chinese or some sort of quota system. You could mitigate abuse by saying the player has to be a rookie or 2nd year player. They either make your 53 by the third year or they get cut and replaced by someone else. Maybe you also say the two players can't be from the same country, to minimize potential abuse of the system by teams? Obviously, every team is going to try to get an angle.

What if you use a separate international draft to select these players. The NFL execs like Umenyiora work to select the top 70 prospects from Euro club football and, perhaps someday, a chinese league, to place into a secondary draft, where each team can select 2 players to compete for those exempt spots.

Its a bit tricky to figure the least controversial and least gameable system, but at least guys from markets they want to develop will have a couple years head start to try to catch on with NFL teams as actual contributors.

If the Vikings end up trying to put Boehringer on the PS and he gets scooped up by some other team, who then releases him and he bounces to another teams PS, etc etc it makes it really hard to build up a foreign fanbase or maintain interest in his career or become invested in a team, etc.

I think that idea is interesting. Up to two free PS slots would probably be less abuse-able as you can't really stash guys on your practice squad as any other team could always grab them, but would let the raw foreign guys at least practice and get better. There wouldn't be any incentive really to get rid of your free PS slots so the guys would at least have a system they could stick in and maybe develop. Of course, then you would need a rule that you can't take a guy from another teams foreign slots unless you sign him to the official roster for remainder of the year(and can't do it after a certain week).

In my opinion, if the NFL is committed to the vision of getting foreign born players onto NFL rosters, they should figure out a way to allow 1 or 2 roster spots that are exempt from the 53 and can only be filled by foreign players. Obviously, that has some logistical problems. There are plenty of teams who could game that with a couple of Haitian born players that were going to be on the roster anyway. Its problematic to prohibit foreign born players of one nationality from being on the list while allowing another, and its problematic to say, 1 german, 1 brit, 1 mexican, 1 chinese or some sort of quota system. You could mitigate abuse by saying the player has to be a rookie or 2nd year player. They either make your 53 by the third year or they get cut and replaced by someone else. Maybe you also say the two players can't be from the same country, to minimize potential abuse of the system by teams? Obviously, every team is going to try to get an angle.

Agreed for two reasons having players in reserve allows players with nagging injuries to heal properly. I also think the NFL
should move to 60 players and allow all of them to be active during games.

Players like GU make the pre season very interesting. That's when he will have to show he can produce on special teams.

Players like GU make the pre season very interesting. That's when he will have to show he can produce on special teams.

he already has some route ability and is the biggest receiver we have and pretty fast if he pick up the lingo
he has a shot to run routes, I think special teams, and eventually some reps at wide out.

The Vikings havent found a spot for CP84, probably because the coaches dont think he's ready/good enough to play WR. Yet so many of you think someone who doesnt even speak the language, isnt as physically gifted as CP84, will get a spot on the roster and be making a name for himself as a WR here. You need a reality check, The pick was just to give Rick some fun and get mentioned by all the NFL talking heads.

PurpleKoolaid wrote:The Vikings havent found a spot for CP84, probably because the coaches dont think he's ready/good enough to play WR. Yet so many of you think someone who doesnt even speak the language, isnt as physically gifted as CP84, will get a spot on the roster and be making a name for himself as a WR here. You need a reality check, The pick was just to give Rick some fun and get mentioned by all the NFL talking heads.

While I agree he is unlikely to make an impact it should be noted that he does speak english and is quite possibly as physically gifted as Patterson.

fiestavike wrote: While I agree he is unlikely to make an impact it should be noted that he does speak english and is quite possibly as physically gifted as Patterson.

Just out of curiousity, did CP beat Mo's wonderlic score?

UKno1VIKING wrote: Just out of curiousity, did CP beat Mo's wonderlic score?

Negative. He scored an 11.

UKno1VIKING wrote: Just out of curiousity, did CP beat Mo's wonderlic score?

Patterson - 11
Wright - ?
Treadwell - 20
Thielen - undrafted, wouldn't have taken it I don't believe
Diggs - ?

I'm not sure Wright or Diggs took it as later round picks. Mo is higher than many guys on our team. Teddy I believe scored a 20. Shariff Floyd also had an 11. Ponder had a 35 and Johnny Manziel scored a 32, so you do have to be careful with wonderlic scores.

jackal wrote: Agreed for two reasons having players in reserve allows players with nagging injuries to heal properly. I also think the NFL
should move to 60 players and allow all of them to be active during games.

That would have a very interesting effect on the game, if coaches were allowed those extra players, they would find a way to use them, I think the NFL wouldnt like that as it would start moving away from big league stars and more towards the ever increasing specialization focus of todays game, the league wants stars nto pawns.

Jordysghost wrote: That would have a very interesting effect on the game, if coaches were allowed those extra players, they would find a way to use them, I think the NFL wouldnt like that as it would start moving away from big league stars and more towards the ever increasing specialization focus of todays game, the league wants stars nto pawns.

I could see the league feeling specialization could go too far, but to date they have supported it. Selfishly, I'd like to see 20 man rosters and force more two way players but that would undoubtedly "decrease the quality of the game" in the eyes of most fans.

Obviously, that will never happen... I wouldn't increase the roster size, but I do like the idea of adding international PS spots IF the league really wants to see international stars develop.

nothing on MoBo coming out of camp(OTA's).. I am wondering if they are going to sneak him on the practice squad ?

jackal wrote:nothing on MoBo coming out of camp(OTA's).. I am wondering if they are going to sneak him on the practice squad ?

I consider that possibility at 95.8%

dead_poet wrote: I consider that possibility at 95.8%

I agree. I think the WR's will be Patterson, Treadwell, Diggs, Wright, Theilen, Johnson. We have to remember that when cut them they pass through the waiver system first. If someone wants to claim him they can, however, they have to take his 4 year contract. Which is why I think they made it 4 years.