The NBA Draft recently concluded, and a lot of talk resulted from it. The Dallas Mavericks had less than a two per cent chance to land the top pick, and they found a way to land it just months after trading franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic. Not long after this big headline, some fans wondered why the NFL doesn’t have its draft lottery, but this is probably the worst thing that can happen for the league.
Tanking Is Already Very Unlikely for NFL Teams
The NBA has rosters that only have about 15 players maximum, whereas the NFL usually sits at 53 during the regular season. In the NFL, it is very easy for a player to get cut and booted from a team if they don’t perform well, making it increasingly difficult for an entire group to try and tank to get one player in the draft. That one player usually can’t turn a whole team around alone, even if it’s the best player in the class. There are too many positions to turn a team around talent-wise with just one high draft pick.
On top of that, the team culture would be devastated if the players and coaches were told to try and tank intentionally. That could have a far worse impact than adding a new rookie prospect. Finally, the fact that the NFL has significantly fewer games on its schedule means there’s more variation for bad teams to win games and good teams to fall into losing stretches.
The Rigged Narrative Would Run Rampant If Lottery Gets Implemented
The NFL already has a problem with fans believing that the league gets rigged in certain games, thanks to how the officiating goes. If a lottery were implemented, people would get even crazier with their claims of the league being fixed. Just imagine how it would be if the Kansas City Chiefs had a one per cent chance to get the number one overall pick and they got it. The NFL community would be in chaos.
Even former NBA players like Shaquille O’Neal have been outspoken regarding the NBA lottery, fueling these allegations further. The last thing that the NFL needs is more controversy, and staying away from a lottery keeps everything safe.
Read Next: Dak Prescott Will Benefit Tremendously from The George Pickens Trade