Brady Poppinga: Draft Creates Uncertainty For Veteran NFL Players

The NFL draft is a thrilling time for young players, but it’s not all fun and games for the veterans around the league.

The new crop of young talent spells bad news for those already in the fold, as they face the risk of being pushed out of their jobs. But it doesn’t have to be viewed as a negative situation, former NFL linebacker Brady Poppinga wrote in his latest post for Football by Football. Poppinga explained that veterans can rise to the occasion instead of viewing themselves as replaceable and use the competition as inspiration to perform at a higher level.

“Young veterans would be wise to accept that earning and keeping jobs in the NFL requires competition and struggle — there will always be someone gunning for you. The day they realize this will be the day they become impact players whom their respective franchises will gladly invest in.

“This is the life cycle of the NFL on full display. There will always be replacements on the horizon. There is no team where that isn’t the case. You have to fight for your job throughout your career. The sooner you realize this as a player, the better chance you have at making it a long one.”