Breaking down the NFL rule change proposals for the 2024 season

Which changes would you like to see approved?

Even though we’re busy with NFL free agency, it’s also the start of a new league year. With that comes rule change, bylaw, and resolution proposals for the 2024 season. Those proposals will be voted on during the Annual League Meeting, which takes place from March 24-27 in Orlando, Florida. In order for a proposal to be adopted, it must receive approval by at least 75% (24) of team owners.

Rule Change Proposals

• Proposal 1 – Increase Odds of 3rd Challenge: Currently, in order for a head coach to be able to throw the challenge flag a third time, he must have been successful on his first two challenges. This proposal would make it so they would earn a third challenge if they are successful on at least one of their first two challenges.
• Proposal 2 – First Touch Adjustment: During kicks, this rule change proposal says, “If the kicking team touches the ball first, but the receiving team still ends up fielding the kick, then the receiving team cannot opt to take the ball where it was first touched.”
• Proposal 3 – Onside Kick Alternative: This is the onside kick alternative rule, which would see a team that is losing have a 4th-and-20 from their own 20 yard line to try to retain possession of the ball after having scored a touchdown or field goal. They would only be allowed to attempt this twice per game, and only while losing.
• Proposal 4 – Challenge Any Foul: This would allow coaches (or replay officials inside of two minutes) to throw the red challenge flag for any foul/penalty, to be reviewed.

Bylaw Proposals

• Bylaw 1 – Initial 53-Man Roster / IR Timing: Currently, in order for a player to be eligible to return from injured reserve during the season (when declaring initial 53-man rosters), they have to make the 53-man roster for at least a day, and then be stashed on IR. This bylaw proposal would remove the requirement of them having to make the initial 53-man roster.
• Bylaw 2 – Designated to Return Limit: Currently, eight players can be designated to return from IR per team. This proposal would allow that to remain the limit for the regular season, but to have no limit for the postseason.
• Bylaw 3 – Emergency QB: This proposal would allow a team to basically permanently keep their third quarterback on the practice squad, but declare them as the “third emergency QB” each week — they would only play if the first two quarterbacks exit the game to injury.
• Bylaw 4 – Trade Deadline Shift: This would move the trade deadline from Week 8 to Week 9.
• Bylaw 5 – Trade Deadline Shift: This would move the trade deadline from Week 8 to Week 10.

Resolution Proposals

• Resolution 1 – Reporting Players Not Traveling: Provides teams a fair and consistent procedure for reporting a game status for players who do not travel with their teams to a game away from its home city.
• Resolution 2 – Hawk-Eye Feed: Expands the 2023 preseason trial of providing a specific Hawk-Eye feed in the coaches booths to the entire 2024 season.
• Resolution 3 – Game Clocks Showing Tenths of a Second: When 60 seconds or less are remaining per half, this change would make the game clock show tenths of a second (i.e. 8.4 seconds remaining).

Which changes would you like to see adopted, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments below.