Jamie Nye: Player safety is more important than CFL’s product

The CFL is feeling the burden of a player safety initiative that helped players stay healthy during the season, but is having a quality-of-product problem during games.

No-padded practices were initiated last year and implemented in the new collective bargaining agreement.

You’re allowed a handful in training camp, but none during the regular season.

The Riders’ tackling was woeful against Winnipeg, but it’s a problem all teams are having with the lack of physicality in practice and it appears there is a lack of it from defenders on the field.

And then there is protecting the quarterback. Kelly Bates takes over the B.C. Lions’ offensive line and wants to work with them at getting better. But how can he do that without strapping on the pads and going head to head against defenders? Instead, they’re in shorts, no pads and hitting air.

That’s not going to help the problem.

Injuries are down from practices because of this, and the CFL and CFLPA call it a win.

So guess what, fans: Live with your team’s bad tackling and bad O-line play, because padded practices aren’t coming back.