Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer on 18-game regular season: 'Kind of crazy'
MIAMI GARDENS - The NFL and NFLPA are clearly headed toward some type of agreement that will include a regular season with 18 games.
Let's just say not all NFL veterans are fired up about it.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to get in trouble with some of the things I might think about it, but that’s kind of crazy," Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer said this week. "If it’s two byes, maybe that’d be nice, but 18 games – 17 games is a lot of games. Eighteen games is a lot of games, too. We’ll see how the NFL handles that. Who knows, maybe I’ll be off in the sunset by then, but we’ll see how that’s handled.”
Two bye weeks should help ease pains of the eventual move.
Reducing the preseason to two, one or even no games should help ease concern.
But there is no doubt that 18 games will take a toll on even the best-conditioned athletes.
"Pros and cons to it truly," Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler said.
It makes little sense for some teams to play nine games at home and some to play eight, not to mention the imbalance in international games and short-week games.
Having 18 games should create a more competitive balance.
More games, more fun NFL 18-game regular season? Yes. Bring it on. | Schad
Preseason games are pretty meaningless now and can easily be replaced by a few more joint practices in the summer.
“There would definitely have to be two bye weeks," Miami receiver Jaylen Waddle said. "Me personally, I would hope there will be two bye weeks if they extend the season. Maybe one less preseason game. Or maybe even cut out the preseason. I don’t know how they would do it. There would definitely have to be something added on. A bye week, cut out a preseason game, or something like that.”
Is 18 too many?
“Depends on what they take away," Waddle said.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The 18 game NFL season is coming and not everyone is thrilled
