Former Jets Assistant Ted Cotrell Working in New Football League

Thomas Neumann of ESPN has an article detailing a new spring football league, Major League Football. A former Jets assistant is among coaches in the league.

The list of MLFB head coaches includes Campo, former University of Florida head coach Hall, longtime NFL defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell and veteran NFL quarterback Chris Miller.

Cottrell was defensive coordinator of the Jets from 2001 through 2003 under head coach Herman Edwards. Cottrell was fired after that 2003 season.

Beyond that Jets angle, the article is an interesting look at a new league.

MLFB wants to bridge the gap in player development that exists between college football and the NFL. Players looking for an opportunity to be seen by NFL scouts are keenly aware Kurt Warner, James Harrison, Cameron Wake, Adam Vinatieri and countless others had to hone their skills in secondary leagues before achieving NFL success.

It has been almost a decade since NFL Europe folded, which was a good league for developmental players to hone their skills. Since the folding, there has been a real gap in opportunities for bottom of the roster type players to develop in game situations. One would think the NFL would eventually create its own developmental league. Perhaps in the meantime, this league can help fill the void.

Sometimes the best way for project players to improve is simply by playing. Just look at a the handful players who have come back and had success after a stint in the Canadian Football League like Cameron Wake, Brandon Browner, and Delvin Breaux. Would they have developed had they been stuck on a practice squad instead of playing in real games? Who knows? It certainly didn't hurt their development.