On Sunday, NFL owners, coaches and GMs gathered in Boca Raton, Fla., where the annual league meetings will be held through Wednesday afternoon. The NFL will use this time to discuss 19 proposed modifications for 2016, all of which can be found below:
- By Competition Committee; Permanently moves the line of scrimmage for Try kicks to the defensive team's 15-yard line, and allows the defense to return any missed Try.
- By Competition Committee; Permits the offensive and defensive play callers on the coaching staffs to use the coach-to-player communication system regardless of whether they are on the field or in the coaches' booth.
- By Competition Committee; Makes all chop blocks illegal.
- By Competition Committee; Disqualifies a player who is penalized twice in one game for certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.
- By Competition Committee; Changes the spot of the next snap after a touchback resulting from a free kick to the 25-yard line.
- By Baltimore; to amend Rule 5, Sections 3, Articles 1 and 2 (Changes in Position) to require players to wear jersey vests with numbers appropriate for their positions.
- By Baltimore; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, Articles 1, 4, and 5 (Instant Replay) to provide each team with three challenges and expand reviewable plays.
- By Buffalo; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, Articles 1, 4, and 5 (Instant Replay) to permit a coach to challenge any official's decision except scoring plays and turnovers.
- By Carolina; to amend Rule 8, Section 2, Article 1 (Intentional Grounding) to expand the definition of intentional grounding.
- By Kansas City; to amend Rule 14, Section 2, Article 1 (Half-distance Penalty) to add penalty yards to the distance needed to gain a First Down.
- By Kansas City; to amend Rule 8, Section 1, Article 2 (Legal Forward Pass) to prohibit quarterbacks from falling to the ground, getting up, and throwing a forward pass.
- By Minnesota; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, Article 1 (Coaches' Challenge) to eliminate the requirement that a team be successful on each of its first two Instant Replay challenges in order to be awarded a third challenge.
- By Washington; to amend Rule 16, Section 1, Articles 1, 4, 6 and 7 (Overtime procedures) to eliminate overtime periods in preseason games.
- By Washington; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, Article 4 (Reviewable Plays) to subject personal foul penalties to Instant Replay review.
- By Washington; to amend Rule 15, Section 2, Article 1 (Coaches' Challenge) to eliminate the requirement that a team be successful on each of its first two Instant Replay challenges in order to be awarded a third challenge.
- By Competition Committee; Expands the horse collar rule to include when a defender grabs the jersey at the name plate or above and pulls a runner toward the ground.
- By Competition Committee; Makes it a foul for delay of game when a team attempts to call a timeout when it is not permitted to do so.
- By Competition Committee; Eliminates the five-yard penalty for an eligible receiver illegally touching a forward pass after being out of bounds and re-establishing himself inbounds, and makes it a loss of down.
- By Competition Committee; Eliminates multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession.
According to Peter King, a top club official doesn’t believe a lot of noise will be made this week. So fans can expect some rule changes, some tweaking, some notable sound bites here and there and possibly some news regarding the San Diego Chargers' stadium plan.
One of the most talked about proposals above is No. 4. If adopted—King believes it almost certainly will—a player will be kicked out of a game if he is called for two specific types of unsportsmanlike conduct. Per the Associated Press, those types include: throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made; using abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials or representatives of the league; and using baiting or taunting acts or words that engender ill will between teams.
Another meaningful proposal is No. 1, which, if adopted, would make last year's new PAT rule permanent. This could have a significant, long-term impact: by moving the line of scrimmage of extra points to the 15 yard line, kickers made 94.2 percent of PATs in 2015—down from 99.3 percent in 2014.
It's also worth noting there is no proposal to alter what constitutes a catch. That being said, owners plan on refining the verbiage to the current rule, NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino told King.
Odds are most of these recommendations will not be ratified in the coming days. Last year, only six rules were changed during the March meetings. More changes came in May, however—including the new PAT rule.
This week's event will come to an end on Wednesday following Roger Goodell's 12 p.m. press conference.
