The NFL owners will meet next week to discuss and vote on 24 proposals, one of which was sent in by the Buffalo Bills.
It’s an exciting part of the offseason that doesn’t get a lot of attention. Squished between the free agency period and the NFL Draft, the annual owner’s meeting is where fans learn of any new rule changes to the game. Of 24 proposals, the Buffalo Bills have endorsed one in-particular.
Buffalo sided with the Seattle Seahawks in proposing that penalties should be reviewable under the challenge rules — even penalties that weren’t called. The Bills were victims of a lot of missed calls last season that definitely had an impact on their disappointing season.
If this rule change is adopted, it would eliminate a lot of those missed calls and help make the game more fair — especially when a referee accidentally makes the wrong call.
Dean Blandino, the NFL’s head of officiating, commented on the rule change and noted that it would bring a lot of discussion at the meeting — according to Matthew Fairburn of NewYorkUpstate.com:
"“That is a significant change to our current replay rule and it is something that will be on the floor and will be debated and voted on next week.”"
The proposal is the only one that the Buffalo Bills sent in. In fact, all 23 other proposals were either sent in by the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins or the Competition Committee.
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Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills and Redskins don’t have the Competition Committee backing their proposal. In the past, proposals without the Committee’s support haven’t stood a good chance at being ratified. Only time will tell.
With that proposal being the only one sent in by the Bills, let’s take a look at all of the proposals that will be discussed and voted once the meetings start on Monday. Again, thanks to Matthew Fairburn of NYUpstate.com.
- Eliminate the mandatory cutdown to 75 active list players.
- In cases of a concussion, when a player hasn’t been cleared to play they should be placed on the team’s exempt list and replaced by a player from the practice squad until the concussed player is cleared again.
- Give teams the chance to opt out of Color Rush uniforms for Thursday Night Football.
- Liberalize “rules for timing, testing and administering physical examinations to draft-eligible players at a club’s facility for one year only.”
- New procedures for bringing back a player from the reserve/PUP list or reseve/NFI list to be similar as bringing back a player that was designated to return.
- League office should transmit a personnel notice to clubs every Sunday during training camp/preseason.
- More protections for long snapper.
- Eliminate the “leaper” block attempt over the center.
- “Crown of helmet” foul should include “hairline” part of helmet.
- Teams should be granted a third challenge if successful on one of the two given. Also, reviewable plays should be extended past the final two minutes of each half.
- Eliminate the limit of three challenges, eliminate the concept of teams getting a third challenge if successful on one of the two given.
- Line of scrimmage starts at 20-yard line for a touchback that goes through the up-rights.
- Coach should be able to challenge any decision except scoring plays and turnovers.
- Disqualify a player that is penalized twice in a game for specific unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
- Touchbacks result in the ball being started at the 25-yard line for one year.
- Preseason and regular season overtimes reduced to 10 minutes.
- Defenseless player protection for receivers running a route.
- Crackback blocks are illegal for running backs in motion.
- No more sideline replay monitor. Instead, certain officials have access to a handheld device that have the final say on replays.
- Committing several fouls during the same down to eat up the game clock will be known as unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Actions to conserve time will be illegal after the 2-minute warning.
- Teams should be able to have a third helmet to choose from to match their third uniform.
- Clubs can’t negotiate with a head coach during the postseason while the employer’s club is still in their season.
- Makes it illegal to interview and be hired by another team during the playing season, unless it has been consented.
Lastly, and possibly the most important of all, is the relocation of the Raiders to Las Vegas — which will most likely be voted on during these annual meetings for the owners. If 24 of 32 owners approve, then the Raiders will be moving.
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What proposal are you most excited about possibly getting voted through? Leave your comments below!