NFL 2023/2024 and Beyond

[SubGod22]

With the draft coming up, which leads to off season workouts and camp and preseason and such, I figured why not get this started.

I know there's been a lot of talk about the Chiefs and the collection of offensive talent that's hanging out in Texas and working out with Pat. Pretty exciting from some of the things Chiefs fans are seeing/hearing around that.

But the draft is always fun, and it's in KC this year which is exciting. Really wish I were going up for it.

What finally pushed me to create this though is the below announcement that was made earlier this morning.

I have a friend that's still convinced he'll never play, despite being cleared by three different specialists. It was a freak accident that required some very specific timing, and though while scary at the time, I see no reason to keep him off the field if he's been cleared by multiple independent specialists to proceed with his career. I'm happy for Demar.

[ShockerDropOut]

I always thought he would be cleared to play again. From everything I had heard there was nothing physically stopping him. There was no structural damage that would cause him to not clear a physical. He received top notch and timely care. I am glad he is going to be able to continue his career. What an amazing platform he now has. I hope he uses it well.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Check out Christian Erikson. Playing for Nanchester United. Died on the field a couple years ago. Back playing at top level.

[SubGod22]

The Draft begins in a few hours.

A few big names that appear to be on the trade block over the next few days are DeAndre Hopkins, Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Ryan Tannehill, Dalvin Cook, Budda Baker, Jonah Williams, Devin White, Austin Ekeler and Trey Lance.

The first three names interest me the most. I doubt Washington will trade both, but they're apparently willing to part with either one for the right deal.

As a Chiefs fan, I'm kind of expecting KC to trade up 10-12 picks to get a WR or DE that they feel can make a difference. If it doesn't happen, trading out of the first round wouldn't shock me either. Veach has a pretty good track record with the draft and a history of accumulating picks to make things happen.

I really don't expect the Chiefs to actually pick at 31, but we'll see.

[ShockerDropOut]

Chiefs are not trading out of the 1st round I don't think. Veech may want to, but Clark is saying no.

[SubGod22]

Chiefs are not trading out of the 1st round I don't think. Veech may want to, but Clark is saying no.

They didn't trade out, but Clark was quoted as telling Veach to do whatever is best for the franchise.

I was getting excited that Nolan Smith was going to fall to us, but Felix from KSU is an exciting pick. KCSN had him rated as the 27th best player in the draft and they've been pretty good with evaluations.

[SubGod22]

Sounds like the reason they didn't trade out is because nobody was interested in letting them trade up and those willing to allow them to trade back were too far back for their liking.

[ShockerDropOut]

That's what happens when you hit on 10 of 11 picks like he did last year!

[SubGod22]

Apparently conversations in trading up with the Cowboys were going well until Dallas discovered who the Chiefs wanted. The Cowboys then drafted that guy.

[SubGod22]

Yahoo! - Chiefs will play games in Germany in 2023 and 2024, per a report in that country

It’s already been announced that the Chiefs will play in Germany this fall, but German newspaper Bild reported the game will be against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 12 or Nov. 19. The Patriots will face the Saints on whichever of those dates the Chiefs don’t play.

Both games will be in Frankfurt, the Bild report said.

A year ago, the Buccaneers and Seahawks played in Munich, and that city was said to be a candidate for this year’s Chiefs game. But Bild reported the Chiefs will play in Munich next year. And the opponent is already known.

“In 2024, the NFL will stop in Munich again,” the Bild story said. “Then, according to Bild information, the Carolina Panthers will play against the Kansas City Chiefs. Whether there will be a second game is still open.”

Germany is a huge potential market for the NFL. They had some of the best supported teams in NFL Europe and I expect them to continue to get games like London.

Also saw a reference somewhere that the NFL is already thinking about a four team division in Europe. That thought included two teams in London and one, if not two, in Germany.

Personally, I'd be a little concerned about overdoing it in London right away if they eventually do this, which I think they will.

I'd have to research the economic viability based on population and income of different markets, and I know London definitely works for at least one team, but one would think you'd want to spread it out a little bit. Frankfurt had the best attendance during the NFL Europe days. I don't know the distance between major cities in Germany, but it appears that the German teams in general had some of the best attended games. Give them a legit NFL team and I'm sure you could double up in Germany and be successful. You might be able to do Berlin and Frankfurt as one appears to be more NE and the other more WSW. Splits them up a bit so they wouldn't be stepping on toes.

I'd like to see the NFL test Dublin and/or Glasgow as well, but I'm not sure if they could support a full time team or not. Looking into Europe it's hard to say where you could possibly place teams. I just don't see France ever really being an option. Barcelona had a long time NFLE team, but support was a little below the average. I know American football has a place in Italy, but I'm not sure it's enough to actually support a major franchise. I believe there was a longtime team in Amsterdam, but can't recall how they drew. Eastern Europe really just doesn't fit and most of Western Europe simply wouldn't care, which leads you back to the UK and Germany pretty much.

I got side tracked as I've always enjoyed expansion talk in any sport. The NFL will be in Europe eventually.

[SubGod22]

[SubGod22]

This very well may be the best schedule release video I've seen. Props to the Titans. This was hysterical.

[SubGod22]

CBS Sports - New Commanders co-owner teases name change: Ranking the top five alternatives for Washington's NFL team

Washington's NFL franchise recently spent two years with a temporary nickname and 18 months officially deliberating its current identity, finally arriving on "Commanders" as the club's new branding in February 2022. Just over a year later, with Daniel Snyder selling the team amid controversy, new ownership is already teasing another makeover, with minority stakeholder Earvin "Magic" Johnson hinting this week that another new nickname could come as early as 2024.

"I think everything's on the table, especially after this year," Johnson told "The Today Show" after Joshua Harris' purchasing group bought the Commanders for a record $6 billion. "We'll see where we are with the name, but I can't say [for sure] right now."

ESPN has since reported that it's "reasonable" to expect the new regime to erase as many branding flourishes from the Snyder era as possible, which would seem to suggest Washington will, in fact, sport a different name sooner rather than later.

So what on Earth should the new name be? Primarily using possibilities that appeared on team president Jason Wright's survey sent to season-ticket-holders during Washington's last rebranding, here are our XYZ favorites:

I wouldn't be surprised to see them change the name again. Commanders never seemed very popular and getting away from Snyder with a new name may be a high priority.

The five names that CBS Sports talks about in the article are Majors, Redtails, Redhogs, Pigskins, and DC Football Club.

I'd hope they could do better, but considering how these things go, they'll probably end up with something worse than Commanders, or Guardians.

[SubGod22]

KAKE - Lions to honor Barry Sanders with a statue

Wichita native Barry Sanders will be honored by the Detroit Lions next month.

The Lions will unveil a statue of Sanders a day before the team's season opener.

Sanders was named the NFL's most valuable player in 1997. He was also selected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Sanders will become the first lion player honored with a statue.

GOAT

[WuDrWu]

Never has a player gained more yardage or scored more touchdowns absent a single effective block for the vast majority of his career. Can you imagine what he would have done on a good team?


I certainly am not now nor have been a Detroit Lions fan, but Barry Sanders, for so many reasons, is quite possibly my favorite NFL player of all time.