Expanded NFL Playoffs tabled, but still appear likely in future

The NFL Owners are meeting in Atlanta this week for the annual spring meetings, and the topic of expanding the NFL playoffs has been tabled for time being.

Per ESPN's Vaughn McClure:

NFL team owners have tabled discussions about an expanded playoff system until the fall after the topic was discussed during the spring meetings Tuesday, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told ESPN.com.

The NFL's fall meetings are scheduled to be held Oct. 7-8 in Detroit. For a playoff expansion change to become official, 24 of the 32 owners would have to vote in favor of it.

The NFL last expanded the playoffs in 1990, adding a sixth qualifier in each conference.

Owners are looking for more ways to add more teams to the field of 12 in order to provide more games, and thus, more money. That's why ESPN's Kevin Seifert believes playoff expansion is inevitable:

Take it to Vegas. It will happen, probably for 2015 to allow for a more orderly set of final negotiations and planning. The mission of all big business is growth, and the NFL views playoff expansion as a growth opportunity with minimal big-picture downside.

As of now, the NFL owners have had no talks with NFLPA leadership or presented any proposal on the topic, according to USA TODAY Sports.

As for the future of where the NFL drat will be held, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that a draft committee will be assembled to discuss its future.

Also on the agenda for today's meeting is the host site for the 2018 Super Bowl, with Indianapolis, Minnesota, and New Orleans the finalists.