FanPost

NFL expansion + relocation + name changes + realignment

Grant future expansion franchises to:

  • London (2 teams to share stadium)
  • Las Vegas
  • San Antonio
  • Portland
  • Salt Lake City or Tulsa

Add 2 teams per season. No more expansion drafts involving veteran players, yet instead give each expansion team 56-64 selections in the annual college draft while established teams would only get 3 rounds + compensatory picks.

Relocation:

  • Jaguars to Saint Louis

Official name changes:

  • Redskins (PC reasons) to Federals
  • Panthers (Miami's NHL franchise had it first) to Maulers
  • Cardinals (Saint Louis' MLB franchise had it first) to Scorpions

Because there are plenty enough good names to go around without NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/CFL franchises having to share, thus MLB's Giants should change to Gargoyles, NHL's Jets to Condors & CFL's Lions to Stallions.

Then eliminate conferences (no more NFC or AFC) & realign into 6 independent geographically-correct divisions x 6 teams each in America + the 2 London teams.

European:

  • London Blitz
  • London Monarchs

Atlantic:

  • Baltimore Ravens
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jersey Giants
  • New York Jersey Jets
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Federals

Northeast:

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Detroit Lions
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Pittsburgh Steelers

Southeast:

  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Maulers
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Tennessee Titans

Central:

  • Chicago Bears
  • Denver Broncos
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • Saint Louis Jaguars

Southwest:

  • Arizona Scorpions
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Houston Texans
  • Las Vegas Gamblers
  • Salt Lake City Wranglers or Oklahoma Outlaws
  • San Antonio Renegades

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Oakland Raiders (share 49ers stadium)
  • Portland Breakers
  • San Diego Chargers of Los Angeles (share Rams stadium)
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks

Expand the regular season schedule to 19 weeks, including 17 games + 2 byes per team. Continue to begin the regular season after Labor Day while ending on the Sunday during the week of January 11th-17th. The Bears would play:

  • 2 games (home + road) vs. each of the other 5 Central Division teams per regular season = 10 games +
  • 1 game vs. each of the 6 teams from 1 of the other 5 American divisions per regular season = 6 games (3 home + 3 road) +
  • 1 game in Europe vs. 1 of the 2 European teams per regular season OR
  • 1 game vs. an American team chosen @ random per regular season.

Each European team would play:

  • 1 home game vs. 16 of the 36 American teams per regular season = 16 games (all @ home)
  • 1 game per regular season vs. each other.

Expand the postseason to 16 teams, including the 6 division champions + 1 London team + 9 wild cards. Schedule the Super Bowl on a Saturday during the week of February 14th-20th.

Eventually contract the annual college draft to only 5 rounds x 38 teams = 190 selections + 38 compensatory picks = 228 total selections.

This Fanpost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.