THERE IS NO CLARETT PUN IN THIS HEADLINE

This morning on ESPN Radio, Bill Polian (GM of the Indianapolis Colts) presented an angle I hadn’t considered with regards to the NFL’s age-limit for players entering the draft. If, say, a running back fails to pick up a blitz, he puts not only himself at risk, but other players at risk as well. Keeping inexperienced players out of the NFL is a way of minimizing the number of dangerous situations produced.

It’s ultimately a weak argument, however. Just because a player’s been in college for three years–or four–doesn’t mean he’s had lots of game experience. Kurt Warner, for instance, had only one year of starting experience at the I-AA level. And even NFL veterans miss blitzes or blow assignments from time to time. But there’s a kernel of truth in what Polian says; football is a dangerous, violent sport and inexperienced, untalented players put everyone at risk.