ESPN: The List: Five Suggested Rule Changes

[burmafrd]

Every 3 years, you can designate one veteran that you drafted as your Franchise Veteran and his salary does not go against the cap. For 3 years he does not count- then you have to pick another player after that 3 years. Would make things interesting.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

Another change I would like to see is teams allowed to dress the entire 53 man roster instead of the 45 man roster. I just think if your paying them they should be dressed on game day.

Good idea.

 

[superpunk]

I disagree with the first suggestion. It's well intentioned but as written would have the opposite effect of harming vets by depriving themof jobs. On the salary cap or no, management would be asked to pay more for veterans, which would cause them to opt for the lower-priced youngsters.

Much like the veteran minimum, must-have veterans would be marginally helped, low-need veterans would be irreparably harmed. Net effect: veterans lose more than they gain.

More lessons in supply and demand.

My brain exploded.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

My brain exploded.

As you can see, my hair exploded.

 

[joseephuss]

Every 3 years, you can designate one veteran that you drafted as your Franchise Veteran and his salary does not go against the cap. For 3 years he does not count- then you have to pick another player after that 3 years. Would make things interesting.

Yes, it would make things interesting. I am not saying I am against the type of rule. I just don't see that much benefit from it in terms of wins and losses. Some older veterans just aren't worth keeping at higher prices. There are some that are worth keeping because they are still contributors, but it isn't as if teams are cutting those guys anyway. They already find ways to keep them.

How many years does said player have to be on his team before he can qualify as a franchised vet? Five years? Eight? Ten? I like 8 myself.

 

[joseephuss]

Another change I would like to see is teams allowed to dress the entire 53 man roster instead of the 45 man roster. I just think if your paying them they should be dressed on game day.

Now we are thinking.

 

[Doomsday101]

Now we are thinking.

I just never understood the rule of the 45 man roster. Teams have to choose do I bring the extra lineman or the extra LB and so on. These are members of the team and they should all be dressed and on the sideline. I wish someone could explain the rational of why only 45 dress

 

[ZeroClub]

IMO, the NFL and the NFL Players Association need to find financial incentives that would promote longer player X team stays. Having the longer term players' salaries count less against the salary cap would make a bunch of sense.

I'm happy to see Allen mention this issue. This very issue was discussed in a thread here this past weekend.

And Allen is absolutely correct that the pass interference rules need to be relaxed. I don't particularly care for his suggested cure, but something has got to be done.

His other suggestions are pretty good too, IMO.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

Any ideas on the block in the back rule on kick off and punt returns? Too damn many of them, that's all I know.

 

[ZeroClub]

Yes, it would make things interesting. I am not saying I am against the type of rule. I just don't see that much benefit from it in terms of wins and losses. Some older veterans just aren't worth keeping at higher prices. There are some that are worth keeping because they are still contributors, but it isn't as if teams are cutting those guys anyway. They already find ways to keep them.

How many years does said player have to be on his team before he can qualify as a franchised vet? Five years? Eight? Ten? I like 8 myself.

I'd go with 7 or 8.

And there are any number of ways the salary cap break could be figured:

1. The complete salary number could be exempt from the salary cap.

2. Perhaps there would be a partial discount (e.g., 50% of salary is exempt from the salary cap).

3. I think it'd probably be better if the first X amount of of the salary (e.g., first million per year) would be exempt -- with the balance counting against the cap.

Not sure why a franchise should be limited to only one of these kinds of players. I could see allowing as many as 4 or 5 or so.

Note:

Teams wouldn't have to use these exemptions.

Players would still be able to test the open market ... their freedom wouldn't be restricted in any way.

The only change would be that teams would have a salary cap incentive for retaining there own longer term players.

 

[lurkercowboy]

Leave it to an ex-DB to suggest relaxing the PI rules.

 

[BlueStarDude]

I always thought there should be some kind of break for teams looking to re-sign someone they drafted or brought in as a rookie free agent. Maybe their dollars only count 75% or 80% against the cap. It would really benefit the fans, since they would get to see more continuity on their teams. But I don't think the smaller market teams will ever allow that to happen.

The pass interference rule wouldn't be such an issue if they just stopped calling "ticky-tack" fouls. Let them fend each other off a little bit - if a receiver is pulled down or pushed or run straight into it's one thing, but if the hands are just swiping at each other, let it go.

I like the suggestion above regarding defensive holding. Just make it a 10-yard penalty (unless it's more than 10 yards downfield). If that's not enough to give the offense a first down, then they don't deserve to be given it automatically.

 

[austintodallas]

I think they should make a running into the passer vs. a roughing the passer penalty. Too many game changing penalties when a quarterback is just brushed by a defender.

 

[Cowboy Bill Watts]

The List: Cap break for veterans?

By Eric Allen
ESPN.com
Archive

The NFL is constantly tweaking its rules and with that in mind, here are five rule changes -- both on and off the field -- I'd like to see:

1. I'd like to see the salary cap tweaked so that veterans -- especially guys who have played with one team for a long time -- are taken better care of. It would be great if there was some special cap relief where a player could be paid over the cap amount after a certain length of service with one team.

2. A better health care and disability program must be instituted. We're seeing what players are going through after their careers are over and it's silly to assume that they are able to afford the myriad doctor's bills that are essentially the result of their careers.

3. Relaxed defensive pass interference penalties. It's time that the league thinks about changing the way it calls pass interference on the defense. Instead of having it be a spot of the foul call and an automatic first down, I'd like to see the NFL institute 15-yard and five-yard penalties for pass interference. Similar to how facemask penalties are called, there should be an option for a five-yard penalty with no first down in addition to the 15-yard penalty.


4. The NFL and NFLPA have to come up with a solution to help stem the concussion situation. Maybe it's time for a new helmet.

5. Players should return to picking the Pro Bowl participants. Too often, undeserving players are given the honor because they make enough noise to garner attention instead of producing on the field.

LINK

i like this, WG. very nice.


i think i would add one. i think that the issue of "poison pills" in contracts needs to be addressed. this would be referring to the minnesota/seattle issues last year (i.e. steve hutchinson).

 

[Yeagermeister]

The only problem with the PI penalty is that the offensive player rarely gets called. Call it even and it's fine.

 

[kTXe]

Rules That Need to be Changed

ROUGHING THE FREAKING PASSER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The end.

 

[AmishCowboy]

How about letting all 53 players active on Gamedays instead of 45?, That rule has always bothered me.

 

[sacase]

The only rule changes I agree are taking care of the older players and designing a new helmet. Once you play in the NFL you should be covered for life. The NFL makes more than enough money to take care of them. As far as the Helmet goes, it does get redone almost every year, pay attention to helmets 10 years ago they are alot different. I remember when I was in Highschool we had helmets with regular pads, when I got to college we got the air helmets

the PI penalty is fine. Even just a little amount of contact can throw the reciever off.

Salary cap is fine ifyou want to keep your vets, manage your cap better.

The pro bowl is a fun game, let the fans get in on the action. One of players I know said he doesn't even know who is doing what during the week since he is so busy studying film and stuff. I would wager most players and coaches don't have time to see who is doing what. No matter what people are always going to feel undeserving players are making it and others are not, there is no way to solve that problem.

 

[Hostile]

Whatever they do with PI, they need to make it reviewable by instant replay. There are just too many variables (was the contact past 5 yards? was the ball in the air? was the ball catchable? was it just contact, or was it holding?) for it not to be reviewable.

They could give each team one "non-possession" type challenge per half, which would be used for PI's.

As much as I hate Instant Replay, I agree with this. This is a good use for it IMO. Which of course means it has no prayer of happening. But it addresses exactly what is wrong with the way PI is called now.

 

[Echo9]

That makes more sense...and I'm not sure why Allen didn't suggest that vs the 5 and 15 yrd penalties..

Because Eric Allen is a former DB.:laugh1:

A bit subconscious bias bleedin through.

The spot foul and 15 yard option is not a bad idea, Although in the end it would probably make the judgement call get ripped to shreds. Where exactly do you draw the line?

It'd be nice if they actually used replay behind the scenes to help with things like this.(ie: a quiet little voice in the ref headset that says...pssst..that was kind of a lame flag there, make it the the lesser one).

But we know that doesn't go on, as shown by the Commander FG block/facemask fiasco last season.