Diana Russini in The Athletic - draft and tanking idea

[dave mcbride]

From Diana Russini in The Athletic today. Thoughts on this idea? I confess to really liking it! But I realize it’s unlikely to happen.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6828031/2025/11/22/nfl-rumors-news-joe-burrow-brandon-aiyuk-shedeur-sanders/

 

‘And finally, save some room on your Thanksgiving table for a special Wednesday edition of the column. With luck, it will give you some good NFL chatter to discuss with those cousins you see once a year. Here’s a safe debate topic that doesn’t involve politics: Would the NFL ever implement a minimum number of wins a team must reach to keep its first-round draft pick?

 

My friends over at “Pardon My Take” were using their weird but brilliantly wired brains to dream up ways to prevent tanking in the NFL, and I’ll admit it — Big Cat and PFT Commenter might actually be onto something. If a rule like this ever passed, some of Sunday’s Week 18 slate would instantly become must-watch TV for teams outside the playoff picture, scrambling for that final win to retain a top-three pick. Think of it as an unorthodox, chaotic, American spin on relegation in global soccer.

 

So, of course, I had to ask around the league. Here’s what I heard, via text:

 

    •    “Wowwwwwwwww. I love that. No tanking!” — AFC executive
    •    “They won’t do that. They should.” — NFL owner
    •    “Zero chance that ever happens. The league loves parity.” — NFC team president
    •    “December would be nuts. We’d be starting injured veterans just to scrape out a third win, so we don’t lose our shot at a franchise QB.” — NFC head coach
    •    “You think coaches get fired fast now? Imagine if this became a thing?” — Super Bowl-winning veteran

And from a GM who said such a plan would have no shot: “Just because you get the first pick doesn’t mean you’ll get it right,” he argued. “Put a team out there that competes and let the chips fall. The Mavericks had like a .1% chance of getting the first pick and ended up with (Cooper) Flagg.”’

[Sojourner]

If you’re tanking with a QB like Josh, you don’t deserve his services lol

 

If he’s injured and out for the season, sure. Go ahead. 

[machine gun kelly]

As much as Russini’s idea has merit, they’ll never do it.

[FireChans]

I don’t find tanking to be as egregious in football as it is in other sports. 
 

Really don’t understand the need to reinvent the wheel here.

 

The Titans deserve the #1 pick because they are garbage.

Edited 3 hours ago by FireChans

[GunnerBill]

7 minutes ago, FireChans said:

I don’t find tanking to be as egregious in football as it is in other sports. 
 

Really don’t understand the need to reinvent the wheel here.

 

The Titans deserve the #1 pick because they are garbage.

 

Agree. The Browns tanked once the year they ended up taking Garrett. They weren't trying to tank the next year they were just so bad they go Baker anyway. 

 

The last few years we have had the Browns (Garrett and Baker), the Jags (Lawrence and Walker) and now likely the Titans (Ward and ??) end up with back to back #1 picks. It is no guarantee at all that you get good.

 

That uncertainty lf the draf and the physicality of the game (meaning it is really hard to tell guys putting their bodies on the line not to try) means that intentional full tanks are rare and I don't see it increasing any time soon.

 

 

[Low Positive]

Just use a lottery like every other North American sport where the draft counts. 

[Puckman5]

I hate the fact that the draft rewards poorly run organizations.  I'd love to see a rotating pick model where the teams that picked on the perimeter of the draft are then moved towards the middle.   Forget how teams finished the previous year.  Don't reward poor performance.  

 

Yr 1  - 1st pick 

Yr 2 - 31st pick

 

Yr 3 - 16th pick

Yr 4 - 17 pick

 

Yr 5 - 2nd pick

yr 6 - 30th pick 

 

yr 7 - 15th pick

yr 8 - 18th pick 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Puckman5

[Augie]

So, if you really just happen to truly suck, you’re screwed. No help for you!

 

It’s more important to protect parity than defend against the tankers of the world, imo. 

[Rubes]

It feels like NFL history is replete with overall #1 picks who never panned out or lifted their franchise out of the cellar, and plenty top 10 picks who did. Doesn't seem like it needs to be messed with to me.

[No_Matter_What]

12 minutes ago, Puckman5 said:

I hate the fact that the draft rewards poorly run organizations.  I'd love to see a rotating pick model where the teams that picked on the perimeter of the draft are then moved towards the middle.   Forget how teams finished the previous year.  Don't reward poor performance.  

 

Yr 1  - 1st pick 

Yr 2 - 31st pick

 

Yr 3 - 16th pick

Yr 4 - 17 pick

 

Yr 5 - 2nd pick

yr 6 - 30th pick 

 

yr 7 - 15th pick

yr 8 - 18th pick 

 

 

They don't "reward" poor performance.

 

They are trying to keep competitive balance between teams.

[Puckman5]

4 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

They don't "reward" poor performance.

 

They are trying to keep competitive balance between teams.

How's that worked for the Jets the last 15 years?  

[MJS]

Don't mess with the draft. It already works well the way it is. Tanking in football does not work.

[No_Matter_What]

10 minutes ago, Puckman5 said:

How's that worked for the Jets the last 15 years?  

I didn't say it always works. I just said what the goal is.

 

And it's just NFL opening the door. Every franchise needs to enter those door by itself. Some like Jets are not capable since they are disfunctional. On the other hand, look how it worked for the Patriots. There wouldn't be where they are without drafting Maye high.

[The Jokeman]

2 hours ago, Sojourner said:

If you’re tanking with a QB like Josh, you don’t deserve his services lol

 

If he’s injured and out for the season, sure. Go ahead. 

If you're tanking at 7-4 then anyone involved in that plan should be shown the door.

[The Jokeman]

42 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

I didn't say it always works. I just said what the goal is.

 

And it's just NFL opening the door. Every franchise needs to enter those door by itself. Some like Jets are not capable since they are disfunctional. On the other hand, look how it worked for the Patriots. There wouldn't be where they are without drafting Maye high.

And what happens if should get hurt, see Washington this year without a healthy Daniels. 

[Coach Tuesday]

Russini has become a weekly Saturday read for me.  RIP to Joel Buschbaum, Len Pasquarelli and Don Banks, I never get tired of weekly well-sourced scoops although they’re (literally) a dying breed.

 

EDIT: apparently Len P is still alive!

Edited 36 minutes ago by Coach Tuesday

[nuklz2594]