Rams fans can smile as NFL and NFLPA inch ever closer to an 18-game season

When the NFL and NFLPA ratified a new collective bargaining agreement in March 2021, several innovations and rule changes were infused into the NFL structure. Perhaps the most debated and innovative aspect of the new deal was the expanding the NFL regular season to 17 games. At the time, many speculated that the 17-game season was simply a place-holder, a segue between the former 16-game season and the ultimate objective, an 18-game season.

The 18-game season proposal was viewed as a deal breaker when negotiating the latest contract as NFL players viewed the proposal as adding copious amounts of profits to NFL team owners, while offering nothing in terms of financial incentives to the hundreds of NFL players directly impacted by longer seasons.

But having the track record of several years of the 17 games per NFL season in the record books, both teams and players have concrete evidence to vet an expansion to 18 games. As of no, momentum is building towards that 18-game season happening sooner rather than later:

So how would this impact the LA Rams?

Rams already gearing up for the inevitable

Whether or not you believe that projected starters need plenty of preseason competition to ramp up for the regular season, more and more teams are adopting the LA Rams practice of competing starters in controlled joint scrimmages, while using preseason game to afford less certain players of putting performances to video to persuade the coaching staff or coaches from other teams that the player is capable of competing in the NFL.

If the NFL and NFLPA ratify an agreement to schedule 18 games, the Rams are already prepared for that scenario.

In essence, the team would get starters and key rotational players up to speed with joint practices/scrimmages with other NFL teams. In the two remaining preseason games, the team would focus on rookies, previous season's practice squad, and any new additions via the NFL Free Agency market who simply need more reps to get comfortable playing for the Los Angeles Rams.

If the league establishes an 18-game regular season, some theorize that could mean inserting a second BYE week into the schedule to aid in the recovery of injured players. Along the same lines, there could be tweaks to the practice squad rules, as well as Injured Reserve changes. Those discussions are likely to be held as the NFL and NFLPA hammer out the details of implementing an additional game.

For Rams fans, this is something that the team is prepared to adopt. And with some teams continuing to field starters in preseason games, could become a distinct advantage for the Rams until opponents catch up.

As always, thanks for reading.

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