NFL team owners will discuss 10 potential rule changes, as well as 16 bylaw and resolution changes, for the 2018 season at the Annual League Meeting this week in Orlando.
One of the most significant changes would be redefining what constitutes a catch. The most notable difference being that completing a catch while hitting the ground technicality could be eliminated.
The Competition Committee proposed the catch process to allow plays such as the Dez Bryant catch in the 2014 postseason and the Jesse James catch from the Steelers 2017 season to become completions, according to the NFL's Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron.
Defensive pass interference will also be discussed with a proposal to change the resulting foul a 15-yard penalty, rather than a spot foul.
Here is a brief description of the 10 proposed rule changes up for vote this week:
- By Competition Committee: Makes permanent the playing rule that changes the spot of the next snap after a touchback resulting from a free kick to the 25-yard line.
- By Competition Committee: Changes standard for a catch.
- By Competition Committee: Makes the penalties for Illegal Batting & Kicking the same.
- By Los Angeles Chargers: Amends Rule 15, Section 2, Article 5 to add fouls for roughing the passer and fouls against players in a defenseless posture as reviewable plays in the instant replay system.
- By Washington: Amends Rule 15, Section 2, Article 5 to add review of personal fouls as reviewable plays in the instant replay system.
- By New York Jets: Amends Rule 8, Section 5, Articles 1-4 to change the enforcement for defensive pass interference.
- By Competition Committee: Authorizes the designated member of the Officiating department to instruct on-field game officials to disqualify a player for a flagrant nonfootball act when a foul for that act is called on the field.
- By Competition Committee: Conforms the amount of time in which a team must challenge a play if there is a television commercial break following the play in question.
- By Competition Committee: Eliminates the requirement that a team who scores a winning touchdown at the end of regulation of a game to kick the extra point or go for two-point conversion.
- By Competition Committee: If there is a turnover, a team may win an overtime game, even though it scores on its second possession.
The rule changes that earn the support of 75 percent of the owners (24 "yes" votes out of 32 clubs) will be approved.
