I’m kind of a draft fanatic – reading mocks and tracking the first round real-time online – but I have no interest in watching it on TV, and can’t even begin to fathom the appeal of being there in person.
The NFL announced another rules change to kickoffs for this year: a kickoff fielded in the field of play (i.e., not in the end zone) can be fair caught, and the ball spotted at the 25 (the same place as a touchback on a kickoff), regardless of where the fair catch is made. This change is being made in hopes of further reducing injury rates on kickoffs, which still have the highest injury rate of any play:
The ESPN article notes that the change is only for this season, with the assumption that further restructuring of the kickoff rules will happen in the next few seasons. It also notes that the league has been following what’s been happening in the XFL, which has its own rules for reducing injuries on kickoffs.
Behind the 25. From what I gather, if you fair catch it at the 30 you get it at the 30.
Ahh, good point there, thank you!
An interesting article on the surgical repair of 49ers QB Brock Purdy’s elbow; he tore the UCL during the NFC Championship Game, and there were concerns that he would need Tommy John surgery to replace the ligament, and miss the entire 2023 season.
However, Purdy was able to undergo a newer repair procedure (“InternalBrace”), with a shorter recovery period, in March, and is progressing through recovery – the Niners have hopes that he’ll be able to return in time for training camp.
The NCAA has had this rule in place for a few seasons, although I believe the ball is spotted at the 20, which is the touchback spot in the college game. I like it.
According to Jim Irsay (I know, I know…consider the source), the NFL owners are about to extend Roger Goodell’s contract through the 2027 season.
So this seems to be aimed at stopping the practice of intentionally kicking the ball short of the end zone to try to force the opponent to run with the ball and start with a shorter field of play. Make it continue to be the choice of the return team and not allow the kicking team to force the issue.
I guess that makes sense, though I still think that if you need to discourage something due to player safety reasons, you might as well eliminate it. I don’t mean eliminating the idea of a kickoff completely, but just eliminate what makes it dangerous, which I believe involves people starting far apart and running at each other at full speed.
I dunno, maybe the kicking team has tacklers that are much closer but can’t move until the return guy passes a certain yard line on the return. Make a good return possible, but don’t let people run the whole field to slam into a guy. There has to be something they can do. If not, just eliminate it and set the ball at the 25 at the beginning of the possession.
The NFL has apparently considered, but rejected, the idea of eliminating kickoffs entirely, as they feel that fans like the play, but as noted, it has the highest rate of injuries, including concussions, of any type of play. The “pop-up” short kickoffs which teams have been employing appear to have led to an increase in concussions.
The ESPN article indicates that they are looking closely at the rule which the XFL is now using on kickoffs:
That works too. I don’t hate the way the XFL does it.
Not unlike Matt Ryan last week, RB Adrian Peterson wants teams to know that, despite the fact that he’s 38, and didn’t play last season, he has not retired, and he’s ready to go if a team needs him.
As this article notes, he’s 82 yards short of 15,000 career rushing yards, and 351 yards behind Barry Sanders for fourth place on the all-time rushing list, which I suspect may also be factors in him wanting to continue playing,
Peterson last played in 2021, in limited duty over four games for the Titans and Seahawks.
He had a decent stint with Washington …5 years ago. 
XFL is probably his best bet if he just wants to play, but that does nothing to increase his career NFL stats if that’s what he’s after.
This seems like a disaster waiting to happen. All the draft cities so far have had some kind of central park-style area where the city can host a major outdoor event. It’s usually picturesque and generally feels pretty natural for a major city. They’ve had festivals, parades and other big, usually free outdoor events and they’ve had practice managing the parking, security and general chaos of the event. No way Green Bay has anything comparable. The only viable option I can envision is hosting it at the stadium, which I suppose is fine, but we see that every Sunday already. It’s not at all interesting.
Hey – there is Bay Beach 
The Reforestation camp is nearby
The GBPG says
Green Bay has a physical setup similar to that in Cleveland, which hosted the 2021 draft. Cleveland centered the draft on the Browns’ FirstEnergy Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The Packers would have a similar footprint with the Resch Center/Resch Expo complex, Lambeau Field and the Titletown District.
The main portion of the event will take place on the Lambeau Field and Titletown campus, with other venues used as needed.
Brian
As the Press-Gazette article I linked to notes, and as @N9IWP quotes, it looks like they are planning to host it across three locations, which are all adjacent to one another:
- Lambeau Field itself, which has a large indoor atrium
- The Resch Center, an indoor arena and exposition center, located directly east of the stadium
- The “Titletown District,” which is a large entertainment district, directly to the west of the stadium, and owned by the Packers. It has parks, a playground, a sledding hill (not so useful in April), a football field, a restaurant, and a hotel, among other attractions.
One would certainly hope that the NFL has vetted their plans, and found the facilities and logistics to be sufficient.
The NFL screws things up all the time (look at the recent history of Washington’s football team to start) but not stuff like that. The fact that they’re holding it there seems like proof that it is a decent location for this. The NFL is really good at preparing venues for events.
The turf in the last Super Bowl notwithstanding, of course.
Wanna bet?
I’m not sure the COVID draft is the best template to follow. Having been to both places more than once, the Cleveland facilities are quite a lot more substantial. Lambeau and the atrium plus Titletown (gag) is definitely more usable than Browns stadium, but the Cleveland setup is on the waterfront which is a huge difference.
I’m picturing Calvin, Hobbes, and a wagon.