When the NFL brings new ideas into the game they end up being a huge success. A lot of rules have been shuffled around, reworded or adjusted in order to create a more free-flowing product that most fans seem to enjoy. Also, the league has relocated a few teams recently, the Raiders, Chargers and Rams, and all three have seemed to be home runs so far.
While the league normally gets it right, there was one major change they brought in this season that has been an absolute swing and miss; no, I'm not referring to the taunting rules even though they are terrible. The NFL had a perfect system going until they decided to allow players to wear any jersey number under the sun, regardless of position.
It seems like the majority of players have kept their normal numbers, having been established in them for years. Several however have taken full advantage of this, Micah Parsons, seen above, is a middle linebacker who was able to choose the number 11 instead of a more traditional linebacking number. Marquise Brown of the Ravens switched from 15 (which I already wasn't fond of) to 5, and Julio Jones of the Titans switched from his usual 11 down to 2. These are only a few examples, but they are very notable players within the league.
I'll admit, I tried to give this idea time to ruminate so I could get used to it as the season wears on, but the more I think about it, the more I hate it. The jersey number designations, while affecting the range players can choose from, weren't meant for them, it was meant for us as fans. Knowing the range certain positions can have makes it easier for us as fans to know what is going on, and who is who. When I see a number 7 in Dallas' secondary (Trevon Diggs), going up against a number 7 in Tampa Bay's offense (Leonard Fournette) my immediate thought is if two quarterbacks are going against each other, and why?
Low numbers were meant for quarterbacks, it's how it has been, and how it should be. 60s-70s are for offensive lineman, the 90s are for the D-line, 80s should be for Wide Receivers, but they've been getting special treatment the last few years, and so on and so forth. There was a system in place, and it made it easier as a fan to track the action and know what's going on. This has a collegiate feel to it because the NCAA allows this to happen, but roster sizes in college dictate that as a necessity, and that's a problem in its own right. The NFL is the pinnacle of American Football, why go backwards to the same level as college?
It just doesn't make any sense.
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