NFL teams propose 15 rule changes

The NFL’s competition committee has yet to review the proposals before passing them on to the owners.

The teams of the NFL have submitted a total of 15 proposed rule and bylaw changes for owners to consider when they meet later this month in Phoenixmost notably five improvements to the league’s replay review system.

The competition committee of the NFL you have yet to analyze the proposals, or suggest any of your own. But unless they’re dismissed, every single team suggestion will at least get in front of the owners.

Los Detroit Lions featured three rule changes in replays. One would allow coaches to contest personal foul penalties. Another would allow replay officials to consult on the enforcement of penalties, rather than the more limited menu of plays they can currently assist with. A third would give the trainers a third challenge if they win one of their two initial challenges; the current rule requires both to win to get a third.

Los Houston Texans they added a related proposal that would give the replay official jurisdiction to review unsuccessful fourth down attempts. The final proposal in reps came from Los Angeles Ramswho want coaches to be able to review and/or contest quarterback penalties.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles they seek to create an alternative to the side kick. The proposal of the Eagles would allow a team to keep possession after a score if it converts a play on fourth-and-20 from its own 20-yard line immediately afterward. The owners turned down an earlier attempt — a fourth-and-15 conversion.

Some of the proposals are directed at opaque parts of the game. Highlights of the others include:

• Use of the number 0 in the uniform, presented by Eagles.

• Game clocks to show tenths of a second in the last 30 seconds of each half, also from Eagles.

• Allow teams to designate an emergency quarterback from their inactive roster or practice squad who would be eligible to enter a game if the team’s other two quarterbacks are ruled out, from the Lions.

• Allowing a wild card team to be seeded higher than a division champion if the division champion has a losing record and the wild card team has won at least four more games than the division champion, of Chargers.

• An expansion of the illegal ‘crackback’ rule (illegal blocking), of which New York Jets.

• Reduce all preseason roster deadlines to one day, proposed by 25 teams.