This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks into a potential NFL draft lottery while also answering questions on a hypothetical Dak Prescott trade, the futures of the Lions and Colts, and more.
Jake asks:
Do you think the NFL should consider implementing a lottery like the other major sports have? This Giants-Raiders matchup features a far greater reward for losing, and it's obviously not the first such game. Wouldn't it be better if the league had a key protection measure for instances like this?
I’m elated to get a question on this topic based on the endorsement it will allow me to make, but we’ll get to that in a moment. My short answer on the idea of a lottery being worth consideration is yes.
I don’t see overt tanking as a problem to the same extent as it is in, say, Major League Baseball. With no minimum budget for rosters in baseball, teams can (and do) decide to remain non-competitive for years on end by simply not spending anywhere near the level of contenders. In the NFL, this isn’t an issue thanks to the rule requiring teams to spend (more or less) to the cap on an annual basis.
