This offseason, the have more goals in mind than just becoming a better team. Additionally, they have given top priority to amending the NFL’s list of regulations for the 2024 season.
Owner Sheila Hamp and the Lions have put forth four rule revisions for the multibillion dollar NFL for the second year in a row. The emergency quarterback roster modification was the only Detroit rule suggestion that the league decided to implement a year ago.
Let’s examine the four distinct suggestions that the Lions have forwarded to the owners for consideration at their end-of-month annual meeting.
If a team wins just one of its first two challenges, they will advance to the third task.
NFL clubs currently have two challenges available to them throughout a game; if they win both of their first two challenges, they will gain a third. A team would be eligible for a third challenge under this proposed rule if they were to win just one of their first two challenges. A fourth challenge will also not be accepted.
Note: The Lions attempted to have this exact rule change approved last year, but it was not approved.
2.) Eliminate the condition that a player needs to be active for at least one day after the final roster cutdown in order to be qualified for a return.
The current roster regulations require a team to take one of two actions in the event that a player has a serious injury during training camp or in an exhibition game:
a.) Immediately place that player on injured reserve, making them unavailable to play again that season.
b.) Include the guy on the 53-man roster for the start of the season, hold him there for a day, and then put him on injured reserve. The aforementioned player would then be qualified to return at some time throughout the season by completing this.
The Lions are recommending the following in an effort to avert such a terrifying roster situation for both themselves and the remaining 32 teams in the league going forward:
a.) On the business day of the final roster cutdown, organizations may designate for return a maximum of two players who are put on an applicable reserve list. On the first day back to practice, a player who is eligible to return must be noted as “Designated for Return” and “Returned to Practice.”
b.) After 4 p.m. EST on or after the day after the final roster cutdown, organizations may designate for return players who are placed on an applicable reserve list. Similar to what was mentioned above, on the first practice day after being cleared to return, a player must be noted as both “Designated for Return” and “Returned to Practice.”
3.) Permit any player on one of the numerous reserve injury lists to make a postseason comeback.
As per the current NFL regulations, teams can activate up to eight players off the reserve/non-football injury list (IR) over the course of a season.
Hamp & Co. are attempting to alter it such that only the regular season will be subject to the maximum of eight designated-for-return transactions. Furthermore, the Lions’ proposed regulation would let these previously mentioned trades to occur at any time throughout the postseason.
This proposed rule is specifically worded as follows:
4.) Set the Tuesday following Week 10 as the trading deadline.
The Lions are requesting that the NFL move the deadline from Week 8 to Week 10, along with the Browns, Jets, Eagles, 49ers, and Commanders.
Detroit made only one transaction—acquiring wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones—during the 2023 trade deadline, remaining largely silent otherwise.
The following is the reasoning for the proposed rule:
In addition to the aforementioned rule recommendations, it is important to note that the NFL Competition Committee put forth a rule amendment this past season that would have been advantageous to the Lions.
By the Competition Committee, Rule 15, Section 3, Article 9 is amended to provide a replay review in cases when there is unmistakable visual proof that the game clock has expired prior to any snap.
Dan Campbell could have reviewed the contentious play that concluded the third quarter of Detroit’s Week 4 matchup with Green Bay if such a rule had been in effect in 2023. The play was called for a 44-yard pass to Jayden Reed by Packers signal-caller Jordan Love, but by the time the ball was snapped, the game clock had obviously reached 0:00.
In the event that Detroit’s above-rule proposal is approved, plays like these will be examined and disregarded going forward.
The Lions managed to hold on for the 34-20 victory in the Thursday Night Football match despite the controversy.
Click here for a summary of all the NFL’s proposed rules.
