5 Things To Watch For During XFL Week 1
3. Was The Extra Money Spent On Quarterbacks Worth It?
Speaking of those quarterbacks, one of the few things that's been heavily reported about the XFL's roster creation process has been its pursuit of quality QBs.
According to Yahoo Sports, quarterbacks will be making significantly more than their teammates with contracts reaching above the NFL's rookie minimum. Is that a good thing? Well, sort of.
For one, we know the XFL has pulled some good quarterbacks from the NFL and collegiate ranks. Players like former Pittsburgh Steelers backup Landry Jones and ex Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones could be under center for their respective teams. Names like Connor Cook, Matt McGloin, and Josh Johnson will also probably ring more than a few bells for diehard football fans.
With players like that leading these teams, there should be an easier path to creating some enjoyable action in the XFL. QB play is just that important to the watchability of the sport that it makes sense that the XFL would invest heavily in the position.
At the same time however, that's come at a cost. The XFL has already been on the receiving end of some controversy over its low pay for other positions, potentially hurting their chances of fielding some decent players at other key spots on the roster. By just taking a look at the rosters, you can tell that the defenses of these teams feel a little lighter on the noteworthy names compared to the offenses.
That's not to say these defenses are devoid of talent, far from it in fact. It's just that there's not really a collection of big-name players that lots of fans remember on that side of the ball. How much that hurts the league, especially if there's some uncharacteristically high-scoring games in week one, is up for debate. What's done is done though, and now we can only wait to see what week one brings before truly knowing if the XFL's roster decisions were wise.