Why would owners not want to pay additional salaries?
Why would players not want increased competition for jobs?
1. The number of jobs available at the end of training camp - when rosters must be cut down - is higher than at any point for that season until the end of the league year, which rosters expand back to 90. It is in the interests of fringe players to want to be cut instead of being "hoarded" by a team with practice squad or IR slots because there is no playing time & resume-building film.
2. You're right that young, unproven players like Coleman would not be IR-DTR; they'd just be IR'ed, costing them a full season but allowing the team to retain the potential talent - at a lower salary - than otherwise (note: there is no limit to how many players you can place on IR - owners can pay as many guys as coaches can convince to "redshirt").
3. I agree IR-DTR slots would help the Cowboys a lot. But as Belichick explained - the rules do make sense when you dive into them as fully as he has.
1. Obviously the number of jobs fluctuates, as the roster limits change. Nothing I am suggesting changes that. If a team is going to "hoard" a player on IR as a red shirt year, they're going to do it now under the current set up or they're going to do it by keeping them on an expanded roster, be it game day active or not. If they are on a roster, they at least can practice and build their resume to the team that controls their rights. If they are on IR, they are limited to film study. I would assume there is some level of agreement between player and organization when it is a phantom injury/redshirt situation or else they would file a grievance - I know the NFLPA is on the weak side, but if a player was clearly healthy and didn't agree to be IRed, I find it hard to believe a team could force him to. So I feel like being on the roster, if even inactive or on practice squad, would benefit both parties. The player gets to show his merit and make a bigger check, the team gets to evaluate and have players that know the system better than a street guy.
2. I don't understand your point since I'm not suggesting anything that would change the ability for a team to IR someone they want to try to keep in any way that they don't already have.
3. I did not see anything in that tweet where Belichick addressed IR DTR. Is there another source you are citing? Because what I take from that article is that the way the rules are set up now, allowing the full 53 man roster to be game day active would create a competitive advantage, which I completely agree with, because if you've already used you're IR DTR there's no recourse when you have guys banged up but not done for the year. He cites that bringing guys in as emergency players is difficult because they can't get up to speed on the playbook, which certainly makes sense. But I don't see where he says anything about any deleterious effects of expanding rosters in general and I don't see the downside. The only thing he cites is it makes his job harder to scout the other team, but when he goes into "you have a wildcat QB,you have another backup QB...etc, etc", maybe I'm misreading him, but I don't think he actually believes teams would do that.
Keep it at 46 active if you want, but what is the downfall of enlarging 53? If you want to burn a roster spot and pay the money to have a Wildcat QB be inactive most of the season, who gives a shit? Knock yourself out, our team doesn't need a gimmick so we're going to keep an extra OL or DL or whatever and probably see a lot more value. Your kicker is 43 and can't reach the 20 on kickoffs, so you need a specialist? Have at it, we've got a guy on the roster that's 7 feet tall and we only trot him out for jump balls and Hail Mary's.
I understand the points you are making, I just don't think they mean much. If you keep game day at 46, expand 53 to 60 and expand practice squad from 10 to 20:
- You don't run any additional risk of guys being reshirted or missing an opportunity to impress because they can be IRed anyway and in this case they get to practice and show their merit.
- Practice squad guys can still leave for another team's offer if they so choose.
- More players are making money and benefits, instead of working out on their own and hoping for a phone call.
- The team has more players ready to fill in that are familiar with the system and playbook.
- With more IR DTR slots, teams don't have to shut down a major piece or waste a roster spot over a non season ending injury, or don't have to make that choice; team profits and league profits from better competition.
Frankly the only loser in that scenario is the owner cutting a check. And if that's what is behind it, I still wouldn't agree with it, but it would make more sense to me than the reasons I am seeing cited. And the owner could still choose not to carry as many guys.
Expand the rosters from 46 to 53; 53 to 60; 10 to 20. Give 5 IR DTR spots with restrictions on eligibility return times as they are now or even make it eight weeks if you want. The quality of the product would be much improved, players would make more $ and teams would be better.