NFL proposes 13 potential rule changes, including enhancing instant replay

Jan 25, 2014; Honolulu, HI, USA; General view of a lantern with a NFL logo and palm trees at the 2014 Pro Bowl All-Star Block Party Waikiki on Kalakaua Ave. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Competition Committee proposed 13 rule changes on Wednesday that will be discussed at length during next week’s owners’ meetings in Orlando, Fla., according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.

The owners will have the chance to vote on the rule changes at the meetings.

The potential rule changes are below:

1. Moving kickoffs back from the 35-yard line to the 40-yard line.
2. Allowing instant replay when personal foul penalties are called.
3. Eliminating overtime in all preseason games.
4. Making goal posts 5 feet taller on each side.
5. Moving extra point attempts back to the 25-yard line. Two-point attempts would still be from the 2-yard line.
6. Putting six cameras on all boundary lines (sideline, goal line, end line) to provide better angles in instant replay situations.
7. Permitting coaches to challenge any official’s decision on the field.
8. Protecting players’ legs from being rolled up on from the side by calling penalty if blocker hits opponent on back or side of legs.
9. Allowing the referee to talk with members of the NFL officiating department in New York during replay reviews.
10. *Re-organizing the rules about reviewable calls, including making the recovery of a loose ball in the field of play reviewable.*
11. Preventing the clock from stopping on a sack.
12. Modifying the pass interference penalty so that it can be called within one yard of the line of scrimmage.
13. Enforcing defensive fouls behind the line of scrimmage, rather than from the end of the run or from the spot of the foul.

*This would be referred to as the NaVorro Bowman rule, after a controversial call in the NFC Championship Game that gave the Seahawks the ball after a Bowman fumble recovery. Bowman had possession before being injured during the play, but the play was non-reviewable and the Seahawks retained possession of the football.*

There will also be seven bylaw change proposals that will be voted on:

1. Raising the number of active players on game day from 46 to 49 for regular-season games played on a day other than Sunday or Monday, excluding Week 1.
2. Raising the practice squad roster size from eight to 10 players.
3. Permitting clubs to trade players prior to the start of the league year, which started on March 11 this year.
4. Changing mandatory roster cutdowns during the preseason by going from 90 players directly to 53, skipping the 75-player step.
5.  Allowing more than one player to be “designated to return” on injured reserve, this way any player could return after six weeks.
6. Allowing teams to test as many as 10 draft prospects at their own facilities, and allowing any rival team to come witness the testing at the other teams’ facilities.
7. Adjusting the roster reduction time after the fourth preseason from 6 p.m. ET to 4 p.m., with all teams needing to submit their list of final cuts by 4 p.m.

Finally, there will be a resolution proposal, which was submitted by the Indianapolis Colts:

1. Permitting a home team with a retractable roof to open or close its roof at halftime, without having to determine at the start of the game whether it is open or closed.

Which of these would you most like to see incorporated into the game? Are any of these really good or really bad ideas?

Sound off in the comments section below!