Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network is reporting that many NFL general managers have voiced support for expanding the size of training camp rosters from 80 to 90+ players.
The competition committee has broached the idea of expanding training camp rosters for 2011, considering all of the offseason training activities and teaching time that has been lost, as well as the months of evaluation teams would normally have to work with depth players and prospects. The idea has been embraced by numerous general managers I spoke to this week and would receive significant support by their ranks if put to a vote.
There is no timetable for a vote yet and nothing tangible proposed, but expanding camp rosters to 90 or so players makes sense on many levels.
Normally teams would have expanded offseason rosters filled with players on "futures" contracts, who coaches can assess throughout offseason workouts and OTAs before deciding who to bring to camp. Obviously that entire process has been sacrificed due to the lockout.
"I don't know anyone in my position who wouldn't support it," one general manager told me. "We'd love to be able to bring 90 in (for training camp). And from the players' side, it's more opportunities for them."
Naturally, many teams are concerned with the shape players will come into camp, despite the many "player run OTAs" that have cropped up around the league. It would allow teams to not only ease into reps by having more bodies, but it would also be a boon to the undrafted free agent pools. If the roster size was expanded by 10 players, that's 320 more chances to make an NFL roster. Currently, the players suffering the most harm with the lockout are the undrafted players, as OTA's is actually an important time for them to make an impression with teams.