Non football injury list vs. injured reserve

[oldunclemark]

Its a small point, I admit but,

 Anybody have an explaination of the difference between 'NFI' and 'IR" and the reason for the difference.

 

I'm reading that any player on the NFI list can come back at any time but only so many who are on Injured reserve can come back.

And players who were injured playing football can be on the NIF list so long as they didnt play or practice at all in the pre-season or in training camp.

 

1.) Why is there a limit to injured reserve players you can bring back during the season.? So you cant stash healthy players on IR? Who (outside of the team) determines who is healthy?

2.) Why are players hurt playing football (in their senior year in college, lets say) termed 'non football related' ?  Isnt that a way to sneak a injured college prospect around the IR?

Couldn't you take college players with a minor injury, hold them out of training camp with the thought of adding fresh rookie talent during the season when you need depth?

 

 

I'm not smart enough for today's NFL.

[ReMeDy]

Ask the Patriots. According to them, Brady is always injured just to mess with people.

[SaturdayAllDay]

6 hours ago, oldunclemark said:

Its a small point, I admit but,

 Anybody have an explaination of the difference between 'NFI' and 'IR" and the reason for the difference.

 

I'm reading that any player on the NFI list can come back at any time but only so many who are on Injured reserve can come back.

And players who were injured playing football can be on the NIF list so long as they didnt play or practice at all in the pre-season or in training camp.

 

1.) Why is there a limit to injured reserve players you can bring back during the season.? So you cant stash healthy players on IR? Who (outside of the team) determines who is healthy?

2.) Why are players hurt playing football (in their senior year in college, lets say) termed 'non football related' ?  Isnt that a way to sneak a injured college prospect around the IR?

Couldn't you take college players with a minor injury, hold them out of training camp with the thought of adding fresh rookie talent during the season when you need depth?

 

 

I'm not smart enough for today's NFL.

Im not 100% confident in my answers but I will explain it to the best of my knowledge. Anyone feel free to correct me if im wrong. 

 

In response to your first question (#1)- the returning option for IR is a new development, brought in over the last few seasons. This year is actually the first year that teams get 2 returning players instead of 1. Originally the IR was set up for teams to keep players who wouldnt play the rest of the year, while not costing them a roster spot. The rules they have limiting the amount of players that can return are put in place so that it isnt taken advantage of (like putting players with minor injuries on IR so that they can sign other players to fill in for a few weeks). If there was no limit wed likely see 2-3 players on every team put on IR every week, for pretty much any injury that leads to a player missing time. It would completely change what the point of the IR designation was created for. The limit is in place so that teams have to be cautious about who they put on IR. As for who determines health, it is up to team doctors. That being said, if a player believes he is healthy or on his way to being better, they always have the option of getting another opinion. If their doctor says different than the team doctors, then you sometimes see agents asking for teams to release the player with an injury settlement, releasing them from both IR and the team, leaving them available to sign elsewhere. This also potentially stops teams from putting players with minor injuries on IR, as they risk losing them if they are healthy and demand to be released. 

 

In regards to #2 on your list- NFI counts for college football injuries because it happened outside of their NFL contract. This distinction is needed because the teams can choose not to pay the players their base salary while they are on this list, whereas IR and PUP they have to pay the player. Its much like workers comp. If you dont get injured on the job, its not their problem. 

Also while teams could probably try to take advantage of this rule,  most teams wouldnt for a few reasons. The first being that rookies need practice reps to get ready for the year. Most rookies cant walk onto a football field with zero practices in week 10 and expect to do well.

The second reason would be that if these players with minor injuries are cleared for practice and held on the NFI list, their agents will surely make a big deal of it if the players they represent arent getting paid. All it would take is one agent coming forward to start a league investigation into fake injury designations, possibly costing the team money and draft picks. Alternatively the agents could just start demanding players be released on injury settlements. Again they risk losing players by doing this. 

[Valpo2004]

On 9/3/2017 at 8:20 PM, SaturdayAllDay said:

Im not 100% confident in my answers but I will explain it to the best of my knowledge. Anyone feel free to correct me if im wrong. 

 

In response to your first question (#1)- the returning option for IR is a new development, brought in over the last few seasons. This year is actually the first year that teams get 2 returning players instead of 1. Originally the IR was set up for teams to keep players who wouldnt play the rest of the year, while not costing them a roster spot. The rules they have limiting the amount of players that can return are put in place so that it isnt taken advantage of (like putting players with minor injuries on IR so that they can sign other players to fill in for a few weeks). If there was no limit wed likely see 2-3 players on every team put on IR every week, for pretty much any injury that leads to a player missing time. It would completely change what the point of the IR designation was created for. The limit is in place so that teams have to be cautious about who they put on IR. As for who determines health, it is up to team doctors. That being said, if a player believes he is healthy or on his way to being better, they always have the option of getting another opinion. If their doctor says different than the team doctors, then you sometimes see agents asking for teams to release the player with an injury settlement, releasing them from both IR and the team, leaving them available to sign elsewhere. This also potentially stops teams from putting players with minor injuries on IR, as they risk losing them if they are healthy and demand to be released. 

 

In regards to #2 on your list- NFI counts for college football injuries because it happened outside of their NFL contract. This distinction is needed because the teams can choose not to pay the players their base salary while they are on this list, whereas IR and PUP they have to pay the player. Its much like workers comp. If you dont get injured on the job, its not their problem. 

Also while teams could probably try to take advantage of this rule,  most teams wouldnt for a few reasons. The first being that rookies need practice reps to get ready for the year. Most rookies cant walk onto a football field with zero practices in week 10 and expect to do well.

The second reason would be that if these players with minor injuries are cleared for practice and held on the NFI list, their agents will surely make a big deal of it if the players they represent arent getting paid. All it would take is one agent coming forward to start a league investigation into fake injury designations, possibly costing the team money and draft picks. Alternatively the agents could just start demanding players be released on injury settlements. Again they risk losing players by doing this. 

 

I don't think there is much issue of players being put on IR with minor injuries and returning.  The rules say that if you get put on IR you have to be out for 8 weeks.  That's half the season!

 

Who wants to stash a more talented player who might be back in 2 or 3 weeks away for 8 weeks just to open up the roster spot.  

 

Honestly I think there should be unlimited returns from IR so long as the player is on the list for 8 weeks.