NFL rule changes summarized

This week, the NFL calendar reached the annual owners meeting, held this year in Orlando, Florida. While the meetings give media access to the owners, general managers, and coaches from each of the respective teams, and it allows some free agent meetings and negotiations to happen in a consolidated place, the meetins also gives the league the ability to adjust the rules and bylaws that run the game. Each year, changes to the rules are recommended, with the owners holding a vote on each one.

This year, 13 rules changes and seven bylaw adjustments were considered. Of the ones that passed, two of the most noteable are the extension of the tops of the goalposts five feet and the movement of extra points to the 25-yard line during the first two weeks of the preseason.

A couple of the proposals that failed were to make personal fouls a reviewable event and to make any referee's decision reviewable. The concern seems to be that, if you are allowed to challenge a referee's decision, where is the line? Can a team challenge a play in which they felt a penalty should have been called, thereby having a flag thrown after the play is over? The league is afraid of changing the game to the point where video is governing play on the field, and striking down these two proposals make sure they don't take a step in that direction.

Here's a run down of all the proposals and the results from the owners' votes:

Proposed Rule Changes:

1. Move kickoffs to 40 - FAILED

2. Allow personal fouls to be reviewable - FAILED

3. No OT in preseason - TABLED

4. Extend goalposts 5 ft higher - PASSED

5. Move the line of scrimmage for extra-point kicks to the 25. (Run/pass conversions from the 2) - TABLED

6. Add 6 cameras to boundary lines to supplement TV network for replay - TABLED

7. Allow a coach to challenge any official's decision - FAILED

8. Extend roll-up blocks from behind to include such blocks from the side (adding "and from the side" to existing rule) - PASSED

9. Connect the officiating command center to the field-to-booth communication relay - PASSED

10. Recovery of a loose ball reviewable; also reorganize Article 4 & 5 to enhance understanding - PASSED

11. Allow the clock to run after a quarterback sack - PASSED

12. Pass interference can occur at or beyond the line of scrimmage, eliminating the 1-yard "pick" zone - TABLED

13. Simplify enforcement points (no specifics, but generally complex situations like a defensive foul on a net-loss, fouls on change of possession) - PASSED

Proposed Bylaws Changes:

1. Increase active roster from 46 to 49 for teams playing Thurs-Fri-Sat games - TABLED

2. Increase practice squad from 8 to 10 - TABLED

3. Trade players prior to the start of the league year - TABLED

4. Eliminate the preseason cutdown to 75, just have one cutdown to 53 - FAILED

5. Increase injured reserve/designated for return to more than 1 player - FAILED

6. Expand teams' ability to do testing and timing at regional combines - TABLED

7. Shift the roster cutdown to 53 to be 4pm ET instead of 6pm ET - PASSED