Before teams start tanking for Arch Manning, Adam Schefter believes the NFL should follow the NBAās lead by implementing a draft lottery.
The Dallas Mavericks using their 1.8% odds to win the NBAās draft lottery for the right to select Cooper Flagg has ignited debates about the system. While some are irate over the Mavericks getting the first pick despite being in the NBA play-in tournament last month, others are defending the lottery for successfully proving it doesnāt pay to tank. Adam Schefter among them.
ot only did Schefter support the NBAās draft lottery system this week on ESPN Radioās Unsportsmanlike, he called on the NFL to implement their own version.
āThe more I think about it, the more I think the NFL should be in that business,ā Schefter said. āThey donāt want teams to tank. They donāt want teams to lose. We had a couple situations last year where in the last game of the year, the Patriots are putting in Joe Milton. Iām not telling you theyāre trying to lose, but they certainly donāt want to win.ā
Milton ultimately led New England to a 23-16 Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. As much as some of the Patriots brass may have been rooting for a loss to secure the No. 1 pick, Buffalo similarly wanted to keep New England from getting that top selection. Which meant you had two NFL teams playing to lose in Week 18. Not great.
Even Mike Greenberg ranted about tanking on Get Up earlier this week. The typically even-keeled Greenberg used the Mavericks as proof that the process works, calling on the NFL to similarly discourage tanking by adopting a lottery system. But even if it doesnāt fully solve the NFLās tanking problem, Schefter cited the opportunity for a big TV night.
āIf nothing else, if the NFL were able to implement a lottery system theyād have one more night of ratings. Theyāre doing shows for everything else,ā Schefter said. āWhy would there not be a draft lottery show? That would rate huge! Could you imagine a year where there is a top quarterback prospect, or the year Arch Manning comes out? They put that in primetime, a half hour special primetime NFL Draft Lottery. Come on. Itās a home run.ā
NBA teams still tank. The Brooklyn Nets were tanking this season in hopes of increasing their chances at drafting Cooper Flagg. Similarly, NFL teams would still consider tanking for Arch Manning even if there is a lottery. But the NFL never passes up the opportunity to make a dollar. And a lottery is untapped potential for the NFL to own one more night on the sports calendar.
