Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

I think some of our timelines are too early, particularly with the NFL's shifting to later starts the past couple years. I would like to suggest that we make our deadlines more flexible to be in-line with certain periods (not necessarily dates) with the NFL.

I also think our rookie draft is too close to the NFL's, and think it'd be better to allow a few weeks in between to evaluate things.

I suggest we permanently change our timelines as follows:

May 10 (actually the 2nd Monday in May each year) - Rookie Draft this allows about 3 weeks for the NFL draft to be evaluated

June 1 - Opening of the UFA period we have plenty of time to sort out UFAs, so pushing this deadine back a couple weeks shouldn't be a big deal this date will also be somewhat flexible in that as it would not open until 48 hours after the rookie draft has been completed

August 31 - DS players and contracts must be declared I think this should be a flexible date each year that basically commences the day after the 3rd pre-season games end (4th for the few teams that play 5). This would be approixmately 7-10 days before the NFL regular season kicks off

September 1st (flexible date to be the day after contracts and DS are declared) - opening of In-Season Free Agency

Please discuss and post your opinions here... if there seems to be a consensus we could then setup and official vote.

Thanks.

Mike

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

All of the proposed schedule changes sound fine to me.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

Sounds fine with me.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

Okay by me.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

It's ok with me, but I will be surprised if there is a consensus to move the rookie draft back. Last year it seems people were chomping at the bit to get the rookie draft started, and if anyone took more than five minutes to make their first round pick, people were going crazy for updates. We have a whole additional round, plus the compensatory picks, so it's won't take more than a few people being away the day their picks come up to push the draft well into June. I don't think that is a bad thing as it will give the dust a chance to settle on the June 1 cuts, and see where they might be headed.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

Dang, I forgot all about the June 1 cuts, yet another reason to push back UFA till then,


As for the Rookie Draft, last year we started late since I was out of the country in April and I think it worked to everyones benefit. We do have a cuple extra rounds this year, but I still think we should be able to wrap it up in about 2-3 weeks. At most the UFA would likely get pushed bak a week.

I'd be OK with starting the rookie draft on Monday May 10. This would give us 10 extra days to prepare for it and would start things off at the beginnin of the week. We could set the start date of the rookie draft to be the 2nd Monday in May each year.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

That works for me. Might as well avoid starting the draft on weekends and such.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

I like the idea of the second Monday in May for the start of the draft. This should give everyone 2 weeks or so of prep time after the NFL draft and still get us done around June 1 for the UFA period.

Re: Discussion - Pushing back some of the Timelines
 

I'm okay with this... however, summer vacations usually occur in June... this year, I'm not scheduled to be away until the middle of the month. It was kind of nice to get a few weeks head start on the UFA period before June, knowing that we could get bidding on the guys we really wanted, and not have to worry about it digging into time we'll be away.

But if no one's really got any big vacation plans... then I'm okay with it.

Start the rookie draft whenever... earlier the better for me... but I'm flexible.