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As the nation continues to see states legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana, the NFL could be headed in the same direction. One of flexibility, that is.

Several owners and ownership sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com the issue of marijuana punishment looks set to become a key issue over the next few years and as the next CBA negotiations take shape. Those surveyed want more research done regarding this issue and many of those anonymously questioned would prefer to see lighter punishments involving weed, with two of the sources wanting suspensions for marijuana wiped out and replaced only with fines.

A “groundswell” of support exists for reducing suspensions for marijuana, one of the sources told Rapoport. Suspensions of Josh Gordon and Randy Gregory have raised awareness of this issue, and several league execs want owners to “follow the country” on the relaxation of weed-induced penalties. Seven NFL teams play in states where recreational marijuana use is legal, with more playing in states where medicinal usage is. The league’s current stance appears draconian by comparison, although it’s progressed to some degree in recent years.

The NFL in 2014 raised the threshold for what it takes to be suspended for marijuana. Two- and four-game fines now precede a suspension once in the drug program, something with which Washington left tackle Trent Williams became familiar earlier this season.

With the national consensus moving away from the stricter penalties of the past, many decision-makers around the league are ready to discuss this further. However, what exactly will be done remains a mystery and an alteration here might not be imminent.

“Medical experts have not recommended making a change or revisiting our collectively bargained policy and approach related to marijuana,” an NFL spokesman said, via Rapoport.

The NFLPA, though, is forming a committee to study the effects of marijuana for pain management.

As of Tuesday’s elections, 28 states now allow some sort of medicinal marijuana use, but that doesn’t mean the NFL and the players’ union will come together on any near-term alterations to the league’s drug policy, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. However, the NFLPA will continue to convene a “pain management committee” that will evaluate the effects of marijuana on health.

Privately, at least three owners have stated support for medical marijuana, especially in contrast to other medication — such as painkillers — that are often abused, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Officially, however, the NFL doesn’t sound ready to make any changes to its current stance.

“We continue to follow the advice of leading experts on treatment, pain management and other symptoms associated with concussions and other injuries,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “However, medical experts have not recommended making a change or revisiting our collectively-bargained policy and approach related to marijuana, and our position on its use remains consistent with federal law and workplace policies across the country. If these advisers determine a change would be in the best interest of our players, we would discuss it.”

As Seifert notes, a recent ESPN survey found that nearly two-thirds of current NFL players believe that lessening the penalties associated with marijuana use — or perhaps, eliminating discipline for the drug altogether — could help reduce excessive painkiller usage.

Despite a 1-4 start to the season and an ugly performance on Sunday, the Dolphins aren’t planning on shaking up their offense. Following Miami’s loss to the Titans today, coach Adam Gase was emphatic that Ryan Tannehill would remain the team’s starting quarterback.

“No. He’s not coming out,” Gase said (via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald). “You can ask me 100 times, he’s going to be in there the rest of the season.”

The fifth-year starter has had a rough start to the season, and those struggles continued against Tennessee. Tannehill completed 12 of his 18 pass attempts for 191 yards and a pair of interceptions. Through five games, the 28-year-old has tossed six touchdowns and seven interceptions, and his 83.6 quarterback rating is the worst since his sophomore campaign. Of course, there’s plenty of reason to believe in Tannehill, as he threw 51 touchdowns between 2014 and 2015 (against only 24 picks).

For what it’s worth, Tannehill certainly recognizes his struggles, and he appreciates his coach’s long leash.

“I know coach has confidence in me — I have confidence in myself — and I think the guys on offense have confidence in me,” Tannehill said. “We’re going to go out and play. I’m going to push myself in practice, do everything I can do to get better and expect to play better.”

Miami fans are certainly familiar with the alternatives, as Salguero notes that chants of “we want Moore” were echoing through Hard Rock Stadium today. Veteran Matt Moore is the team’s only other quarterback, but the 32-year-old hasn’t started a game since 2011. Over the past four seasons, Moore has made six appearances with Miami, converting 53-percent of his passes for 219 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out that Gase was hired with the understanding that he could “bring in his own quarterback” after 2016. There’s a possibility that that could still be the case following this season. As Florio notes, if Tannehill remains on the Dolphins roster through the fifth day of the next league year, $14.47MM of his salary will become fully guaranteed. The team could decide to cut or trade the signal-caller, freeing them from his $17.97MM 2017 salary.

The league and the NFLPA agreed on Wednesday to some updated components within the drug program and the testing procedures associated with it.

Perhaps the main update is the inclusion of synthetic marijuana to the list of banned substances. Also known as Spice, Blaze or K2, the drug was not previously part of the league’s testing panel despite being illegal in most states. It also was involved in two strange sequences last year. Chandler Jones showed up at the Foxborough Police Dept. seeking medical attention after having reportedly used it, and former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was involved in a hit-and-run incident after using the substance, per a police report.

This appears to tighten the league’s grip on marijuana despite the country loosening its. The agreement also increases the scope of the testing for HGH, which was already a part of the banned-substances list.

Additionally, players must now provide urine samples within four hours of being notified for a substance-abuse test. Recording of the tests is also not permitted, clearing up a subject that emerged when James Harrison attempted to film a drug test in May after having done so in the past. The filming prohibitions apply to both tests for substances of abuse and performance-enhancing drugs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

While it’s not quite the lofty underclassman combine we heard over the summer was being discussed, next year will bring expanded scouting for future draft picks.

The NFL and American Football Coaches’ Association agreed to a setup that will allow NFL scouts to do some advanced work on prospects whom schools deem bound for future NFL drafts. Starting in February 2017, Division I-FBS schools will be able to select five underclassmen whom they categorize as possible 2018 selections. These players will be able to test and work out for scouts at their schools’ pro days during the spring.

Schools can request more underclassmen be available to work out for scouts at pro days designed for that year’s seniors and declared early-entry prospects, provided the NFL determines they are, in fact, potential draft commodities down the line. This will allow teams to gather more data on prospects as they determine future values, Chase Goodbread of NFL.com writes. The prospects who will be granted access to pro days are not eligible to enter that year’s draft, but instead this is only to help teams and players for the future.

“While there is no question that obtaining a college degree is a transformative experience for so many people in society and a goal to which we encourage everyone to aspire to, for those talented few individuals that have the ability to succeed in the NFL prior to exhausting their college football eligibility, this new agreement will ensure they have better information with which to make their decision,” NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said.

Both Urban Meyer and Nick Saban advocated this summer for advanced scouting regarding underclassmen in an effort to provide them better understanding of their draft status for when they become draft-eligible or decide to enter. As it stands now, underclassmen apply for feedback from the NFL college advisory committee in December and usually receive it in January, per Goodbread. For the players who receive the benefit of working out for scouts a year early, they should have more to go on when making their decision in advance of the next draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Earlier this month, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer revealed that he was working to develop some form of a combine for underclassmen, and added that he had discussed the issue with Alabama head coach Nick Saban in the past. Saban, meanwhile, has taken a step further, and plans to meet with the NFL about the possibility, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com.

“I think the NFL is very much interested in this,” Saban said on Wednesday. “We have a meeting scheduled in the near future to discuss some ways to implement this.”

NCAA juniors don’t currently have a venue in which to work out for NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel without first declaring for the draft, and Meyer said in early July that would like to see an opportunity for underclass players to showcase their skills without losing their eligibility. “It’s not a process that’s well done right now,” said Meyer at a youth football camp. “There’s a rule that says the NFL can’t look at juniors. Well of course the NFL [scouts] are going to look at a junior. And they should look at a junior.” The only feedback underclassmen receiver from the league at the moment is from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, which projects juniors’ draft stock in January prior to the draft.

“There is a cross-section of people out there who maybe aren’t giving young men responsible information about making this decision, which is indicative of 107 guys going out for the draft last year. Probably at least half of those guys probably shouldn’t have made that decision relative to whether they didn’t get picked, or where they got picked,” said Saban. “They’d have been better off enhancing their draft status by staying in school and developing as a player. There is a group of people out there not being responsible on how they help these guys, and create unrealistic expectations of what their future might be as a football player based on where they are in their development.”

Saban has offered solutions to this problem in the past, but as Goodbread has previously noted, Saban’s proposal would involve pro day-esque events at every college campus, which would only serve to increase the required hours put in by NFL staffs. Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has also suggested allowing undrafted players to return to college, an idea that is fraught with problems, per Goobread.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.