NFL Approves Rule Changes For 2018

At this week’s owners’ meetings, the NFL moved to ratify several proposed changes to on- and off-field rules. Here’s the full rundown:

Playing Rules Changes:

  1. 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.
  2. By Competition Committee; Changes standard for a catch.
  1. By Competition Committee; Authorizes the designated member of the Officiating department to instruct on-field game officials to disqualify a player for a flagrant non-football act when a foul for that act is called on the field.

Approved 2018 Bylaws Summary

  1. By Competition Committee; Makes permanent the liberalization of rules for timing, testing, and administering physical examinations to draft-eligible players at a club’s facility.
  1.  By Buffalo; For one year only, amends Article XVII, Section 17.4 to liberalize the rule for reacquisition of a player assigned via waivers.

3. By Denver; Amends Article XVII, Section 17.16 to permit clubs to trade players from Reserve/Injured.

4. By Minnesota; Amends Article XVIII, Section 18.1 to replace the 10-day postseason claiming period with a 24-hour period.

The change to this year’s catch rule, naturally, has garnered the most attention given the number of controversies around iffy catches last season. The new language means that the “survive the ground” verbiage will not survive in the new league year.

From a transactions standpoint, the rule change to allow players to be traded from the injured reserve list is an interesting one. Many deals have been scuttled in the past due to this restriction, but this adjustment could result in even more NFL trades going forward.

Conspicuously absent from the list is the “Josh McDaniels rule” that would have allowed assistants to be hired while their teams are still in the postseason. That proposal has been tabled until May, according to NFL.com’s Judy Battista (on Twitter).

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