Grant Cohn: NFL needs better QBs; here's a way to get it done

The NFL needs to do a better job of developing quarterbacks.

In 1983, NFL quarterbacks averaged 7.18 yards per pass attempt.

Thirty-three years later, after the league made numerous rule changes to enhance passing, changes such as barring defensive players from hitting quarterbacks above their shoulders or below their knees, barring defensive players from hitting defenseless receivers, enforcing defensive pass interference and defensive holding more strictly and reducing the number of steps defensive players are allowed to take before hitting quarterbacks who already have released the ball, well, after all that, quarterbacks now are averaging 7.26 yards per pass attempt in 2016.

That’s an increase of just eight one-hundredths of a yard per pass attempt since 1983.

You’d think those rule changes would have improved quarterback play more dramatically. But all the rule changes in the world can’t improve the actual quarterbacks.

The NFL still doesn’t have enough quality QBs to go around. Only 16 currently average more than 7.1 yards per attempt, and only 19 have passer ratings higher than 90. That leaves almost half the league with sub-par players under center.

The only way to improve quarterbacks is to develop them. Playing quarterback is a game of repetition – Bill Walsh used to say that all the time. You can’t learn the position sitting on the bench or sitting in the classroom. You have to stand under center and make decisions before and after the snap.

Here’s how the NFL can better develop its quarterbacks:

Create a spring developmental league focused entirely on passing. Call it Air NFL.

No need for kickers, punters, holders, offensive linemen or defensive linemen. And no need for handoffs, zone-reads or quarterback runs, either. All those things are secondary to the development of passing concepts for quarterbacks and other skill position players. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. A passing-driven league.

Air NFL will be a seven-on-seven game. Meaning seven offensive players versus seven defensive players. For the offense, the emphasis will be passing skills, receiver skills, route running and coverage recognition. For the defense, the emphasis will be coverage techniques, pattern recognition, playing the ball in the air and tackling.

The league will consist of eight teams:

The Far West, with players from the 49ers, Raiders, Seahawks and Broncos.

The South West, with players from the Rams, Chargers, Cardinals and Cowboys.

The Mid West, with players from the Chiefs, Bears, Texans and Colts.

The Mid South, with players from the Falcons, Titans, Panthers and Bengals.

The North Central, with players from the Lions, Vikings, Packers and Browns.

The North East, with players from the Bills, Giants, Jets and Patriots.

The Mid East, with players from the Ravens, Steelers, Eagles and Redskins.

And the South East, with players from the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Jaguars and Saints.

Each NFL franchise will allocate one quarterback, one running back, one tight end, two wide receivers, two linebackers, two cornerbacks and one safety to its corresponding Air-NFL team. So, each roster will consist of four quarterbacks, four running backs, four tight ends, eight wide receivers, eight linebackers, eight corners and four safeties. That’s 20 offensive players and 20 defensive players.

Each quarterback will play one quarter per game, and will have a limited amount of time to throw the ball depending on down and distance – he will be on a clock. The skill players will wear pads and hit each other.

Each team will have one head coach, two offensive coaches and two defensive coaches. These guys will not be youngsters trying to make names for themselves. Air NFL will be about player development, not coach development. The coaches will be retired people like Mike Martz, Jim Fassel and Brian Billick. People who can teach the NFL game.

The scoring system will work like this:

The offense will get one point for a first down, one point for a play going 17 yards or more and four points for a touchdown.

The defense will get three points for an interception, two points for a fumble recovery and one point for forcing a change of possession on downs. Fourth downs will occur only inside the defense’s 35-yard line, or during the last minute of each quarter. Remember, no punters.

The ball will be placed at the offense’s 30-yard line to start a drive. After a turnover, the ball will be placed at the spot of the turnover.

Pass interference will be a 15-yard penalty, or half the distance to the goal. Not a spot foul.

The season will start in January and last 10 games. They will play the games with crowds, and they will televise the games with players’ salaries to be determined. And there will be playoffs. The best two teams from the Far West, South West, Mid West and Mid South will play each other in a semifinal playoff game, and so will the best two teams from the North Central, North East, Mid East and South East.

The winner of each semifinal game will face each other in the Air NFL Championship.

Game on.

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.