As reported by Jared Dubin with CBSSports.com, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora a new spring league being organized for 2017 is not an NFL venture. However, the NFL is aware of it and has notified teams about it.
Called The Spring League, it has no connection with the NFL or its players. It will apparently consist of players not currently on NFL rosters (NFL roster players are ineligible). Players will practice and play six games between April 5 and April 26 of next year. It is worth noting that the NFL Draft is scheduled to start on April 27, 2017.
There is a non-affiliated league calling itself The Spring League that has no connection to NFL whatsoever. Nothing to do w/NFL players…
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 22, 2016
The NFL distributed a memo to member clubs today alerting them of the league but this is not connected to NFL in any way…
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 22, 2016
All four squads will train and play the Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
La Canfora reported in November that the NFL was prepared to present formal proposals for a developmental league in 2017. Unlike the reported free-agent league, the NFL’s proposed league would have the purpose of developing younger players, coaches and referees. For more details on the NFL’s potential developmental league, check out La Canfora’s report.