NFL Supplemental Draft to Remain Dormant in 2024
The NFL's once-annual supplemental draft, a unique segment of the league's player acquisition landscape, will not be held in 2024. This marks another year of dormancy for the draft, continuing its hiatus since 2020. The supplemental draft was last conducted in 2019, which saw the Arizona Cardinals select safety Jalen Thompson in the fifth round. Since then, the league has opted out of staging this event, leaving a notable gap in opportunities for certain prospective players to enter the NFL.
A Brief History
Established in 1977, the supplemental draft was created to allow NFL teams the chance to select players who missed the regular NFL Draft due to various circumstances—such as disciplinary actions or academic issues. In 1993, the draft's parameters broadened to include players who had never attended college, further diversifying the pool of eligible athletes.
The supplemental draft spans seven rounds, akin to the regular NFL Draft. However, the selection process comes with a unique twist: any team that makes a pick in this draft forfeits its corresponding pick in the following year's regular draft. For instance, when the Cardinals drafted Thompson in the fifth round of the 2019 supplemental draft, they consequently lost their fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Ever-Evolving Dynamics
Teams are grouped and ordered based on their performance from the previous season. This method ensures that franchises with poorer records have a higher opportunity to select talent, though it also adds an additional layer of strategy. A team must decide whether the immediate benefit of acquiring a player is worth sacrificing a future draft pick in the same round.
Despite its strategic intricacies and potential benefits, interest in the supplemental draft has waned in recent years. The lack of eligible players who attract significant interest might partially explain why the draft hasn't been held since 2019. For example, last year, two players were eligible for the supplemental draft, but neither was selected, indicating teams may not have seen enough value in them to justify a pick.
A Draft in Decline?
The supplemental draft has been an avenue for some exceptional finds in the past. Players like Cris Carter, a Hall of Fame wide receiver, and Bernie Kosar, a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, were both supplemental draft selections. However, in recent years, the allure seems to have diminished.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of the sports world, and it's plausible that the complications from the pandemic contributed to the hiatus since 2020. The logistical challenges, combined with the evolving landscape of college football and player declarations, have made the supplemental draft less of a priority for the NFL.
The Future of the Supplemental Draft
While the supplemental draft's absence in 2024 is confirmed, the possibility of its return in future years remains uncertain. The NFL may choose to revive it if a compelling number of eligible and interested players surface, or if teams express a renewed desire for the draft's reinstatement. As it stands, however, the supplemental draft's current dormancy seems reflective of a broader trend and changing priorities within the league's approach to player acquisition.
In the dynamically shifting environment of the NFL, only time will tell if the supplemental draft will find its place once more or if it will become a historical footnote. For now, the 2024 NFL season will proceed without this distinctive feature, continuing to rely solely on the standard draft and other avenues for team-building and player recruitment.