The NFL League Meetings kick off in Phoenix this weekend, and there are plenty of items for owners and executives to discuss.
The NFL Competition Committee announced 15 new rule proposals, six new bylaw proposals and three resolution proposals on a conference call Thursday. The owners will vote early next week at the league meeting on the potential changes.
Rule change proposals:
1. By Philadelphia: Gives additional protections for long snappers on kick plays.
2. By Philadelphia: Prohibits the "leaper" block attempt on field goal and extra point plays.
3. By Philadelphia: Expands the "crown of helmet" foul to include "hairline" part of helmet.
4. By Philadelphia: Amends the challenge system by granting a third challenge if a club is successful on at least one of its initial two challenges, and expands reviewable plays outside of two minutes of each half.
5. By Washington: Eliminates the limit of three total challenges per team per game and eliminates the requirement that a team be successful on each of its first two challenges in order to be awarded a third challenge.
6. By Washington: Moves the line of scrimmage to the 20-yard line for any touchback where the free kick travels through the uprights.
7. By Buffalo and Seattle: Permits a coach to challenge any officials' decision except scoring plays and turnovers.
8. By Competition Committee: Makes permanent the rule that disqualifies a player who is penalized twice in one game for certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.
9. By Competition Committee: Changes the spot of the next snap after a touchback resulting from a free kick to the 25-yard line for one year only.
"The committee was pleased with the results," said Dean Blandino, senior vice president of officiating. "Touchbacks were up and (the NFL had the) lowest rate of returns in NFL history at 39.3 percent of our kickoffs returned.
"So, the committee is proposing that for another year to get another year's worth of data and then evaluate that after the 2017 season."
10. By Competition Committee: Reduces the length of preseason and regular season overtime periods to 10 minutes.
11. By Competition Committee: Gives a receiver running a pass route defenseless player protection.
12. By Competition Committee: Makes crackback blocks prohibited by a backfield player who is in motion, even if he is not more than two yards outside the tackle when the ball is snapped.
13. By Competition Committee: Replaces the sideline replay monitor with a hand-held device and authorizes designated members of the Officiating department to make the final decision on replay reviews.
"New York and the designated members of the officiating department, myself, my supervisory staff have final say over the replay decision with input from the referee, and I think that's important to remember," Blandino said.
"We're not taking the referee out of the equation. The referee will still be involved. The referee will still be able to give input. But will no longer have final say."
14. By Competition Committee: Makes it Unsportsmanlike Conduct to commit multiple fouls during the same down designed to manipulate the game clock.
15. By Competition Committee: Makes actions to conserve time illegal after the two-minute warning of either half.
Bylaw proposals:
1. By Washington: Amends Article XVII, Section 17.1 to eliminate the mandatory cutdown to 75 Active List players.
2. By Washington: Amends Article XVII, Section 17.14 to place a player who has suffered a concussion, and who has not been cleared to play, on the club's Exempt List, and be replaced by a player on the club's Practice Squad on a game-by-game basis until the player is cleared to play.
3. By Washington: Amends Article XIX, Sections 19.8(B) and 19.9(B) to permit clubs to opt out of the "color rush" jerseys created for Thursday Night Football.
4. By Competition Committee: Liberalizes rules for timing, testing, and administering physical examinations to draft-eligible players at a club's facility for one year only.
5. By Competition Committee: Changes the procedures for returning a player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness to the Active List to be similar to those for returning a player that was Designated for Return.
6. By Competition Committee: The League office will transmit a Personnel Notice to clubs on Sundays during training camp and preseason.
Resolution Proposals:
1. By Philadelphia: Amends the NFL's On-Field Policy to allow clubs to have an alternate helmet in a color to match their third uniform.
2. By Competition Committee: Permits a club to negotiate and reach an agreement with a head coach candidate during the postseason prior to the conclusion of the employer club's season.
3. By Competition Committee: Permits a contract or non-contract non-football employee to interview with and be hired by another club during the playing season, provided the employer club has consented.
