One Change

[Sub-Zero]

I got this idea from another message board. if you could change one thing about the NFL, whether its a rule, schedule, draft process, referees, or anything else what would it be?

I would make all FG's 60 yards+ worth 4 points. quick story, I was playing online talking trash back and forth to some dude thousands of miles away. the score was 40-37, and I had to attempt a 61 yarder and I nailed it, cause you know I got ice in my veins So anyways its on to OT and I lose the toss. I kick it off to the guy and the next thing you know Dante Hall is in the endzone!!

its not everyday someone kicks a 60 yarder, so I believe it should be worth more!!

[Guest Birdfan]

I would change the rookie compensation package. Guys who have never played a down in the NFL should not be paid way more than veterans.

[neepo13]

I'd make it so that you can decline any penalty. So, if a team is at 4th and 1, and there's a false start but the ref doesnt throw the flag until the play is over and we've already got the stop, instead of them getting another shot at it on 4th and 6. We could decline the penalty and it would be turnover on downs. Can you guess my inspiration?

[Sub-Zero]

I would change the rookie compensation package. Guys who have never played a down in the NFL should not be paid way more than veterans.

AMEN!

Kevin Mawae is the NFLPA's President and he weighed in on this http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3406508

[Sub-Zero]

I'd make it so that you can decline any penalty. So, if a team is at 4th and 1, and there's a false start but the ref doesnt throw the flag until the play is over and we've already got the stop, instead of them getting another shot at it on 4th and 6. We could decline the penalty and it would be turnover on downs. Can you guess my inspiration?

would it happen to be related to cameras, recording devices and asterisks

[theFRANCHISE]

I'd make EVERY play reviewable, regardless of situation or circumstance in which the play ends.

I figure, the league has already accepted instant replay as a way of life now that the owners have voted to retain it and are investing money in improving it, so the competition committee may as well take it a step further.

Even though we're only supposed to name ONE change, I'd like to second the motion of enforcing a rookie salary cap; these contracts are getting out of hand, and I agree that it's not fair that a kid fresh out of college who hasn't played a single down in the NFL can get paid more than a proven veteran. Besides, it's only logical that kids with NO common sense who HAVE money are more likely to get in trouble than kids with NO common sense who DON'T have money.

[Devastat1on]

Endzone celebrations! I enjoy waiting eagerly for a new endzone celebration week after week.. There would be more if it wasnt for the fines given out.. I hate the rule

[MKdave]

If you throw it through the uprights you should be awarded one point. that way you might see more teams going for it needlesslty on fourth down (which is always fun) just because if every thing breaks down the guy can just heave it for one point. It'd also make flacco more useful.

[#1 D]

I'd make it so that you can decline any penalty. So, if a team is at 4th and 1, and there's a false start but the ref doesnt throw the flag until the play is over and we've already got the stop, instead of them getting another shot at it on 4th and 6. We could decline the penalty and it would be turnover on downs. Can you guess my inspiration?

I would rather there be 4 coach's challange options, two of them for plays and two of them for flags. as for the flags, a team can challange a penalty called against them or the other team and a third party can review that call and see if that penalty was valid. I wish it was like that more often!

[smashmouth82]

I would change the rookie compensation package. Guys who have never played a down in the NFL should not be paid way more than veterans.

absolutely-100%-without a doubt-no questions asked-I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!!!!!

[smashmouth82]

I'd make EVERY play reviewable, regardless of situation or circumstance in which the play ends.

I figure, the league has already accepted instant replay as a way of life now that the owners have voted to retain it and are investing money in improving it, so the competition committee may as well take it a step further.

Even though we're only supposed to name ONE change, I'd like to second the motion of enforcing a rookie salary cap; these contracts are getting out of hand, and I agree that it's not fair that a kid fresh out of college who hasn't played a single down in the NFL can get paid more than a proven veteran. Besides, it's only logical that kids with NO common sense who HAVE money are more likely to get in trouble than kids with NO common sense who DON'T have money.

making EVERY play reviewable would make the game 4 hours long-not in a good way either because you know coaches would use every last nitch to their advantage and all the extra time would be motionless on the field.

[theFRANCHISE]

making EVERY play reviewable would make the game 4 hours long-not in a good way either because you know coaches would use every last nitch to their advantage and all the extra time would be motionless on the field.

I didn't mean in terms of the number of challenges a coach could have per game.

I meant that every play should be ALLOWED to be reviewed, regardless of the situation or how the play ends. There's a couple of circumstances where plays can't be reviewed (not talking about the final 2 minutes of each half) that I can't think of.

But I remember that, until the rules were changed recently, in past seasons, you couldn't challenge a player being down by contact except in the case of a turnover and you couldn't review the number of men on the field or in the huddle, illegal procedures, pre-snap penalties...things of that nature.

Just this past offseason, the rule was changed so that field goals can now be reviewed as a direct result of the controversial end to the Browns/Ravens game (as well as another freak occurrence in another game I forgot), so they might as well just allow any and every play to be subject to review so as to avoid having to make a future rule change for an ambiguous (i.e. FREAKISH) call.

[Ravens52]

Add another game to the season!! lol, like how there planning to do it. Maybe add 2 and take out 2 pre season so teams can finish the season even

[neepo13]

would it happen to be related to cameras, recording devices and asterisks

How'd you know?

[theFRANCHISE]

Add another game to the season!! lol, like how there planning to do it. Maybe add 2 and take out 2 pre season so teams can finish the season even

I was thinking the same thing when I read that the league was considering adding a 17th game. They might as well just take out two preseason games instead of just one and turn both into regular season games because of how sparingly the starters are used in the preseason anyway.

I could see how some coaches would oppose this because of the opportunities this might take away from the younger guys, but this just means that starters may not play full halves anymore.

Although the other viewpoint could be that the starters need the preseason to perfect their timing, it's not as if the first four games of the regular season are exactly telling of how a team will do the rest of the season anyway; sometimes, getting off to a fast start isn't as important as how you do down the stretch.

[bmorefan80]

I would like to see overtime played like they do in college. I hate the way NFL plays overtime. Especially since alot of kickers nowadays can kick 50+ easy.

I also agree with the rookie salary cap. Alot of these untested players are coming into the league making more than the veterans. Thats why I think we see good veterans bouncing teams alot, trying to get what they are worth. I think the NBA had the same situation as us with rookie salaries. They fixed up the rookie salary cap so every player coming from the draft gets the same amount of money(or something like that, I'm not too big a basketball fan). I hope to see us do that in the near future.

[theFRANCHISE]

I would like to see overtime played like they do in college. I hate the way NFL plays overtime. Especially since alot of kickers nowadays can kick 50+ easy.

I also agree with the rookie salary cap. Alot of these untested players are coming into the league making more than the veterans. Thats why I think we see good veterans bouncing teams alot, trying to get what they are worth. I think the NBA had the same situation as us with rookie salaries. They fixed up the rookie salary cap so every player coming from the draft gets the same amount of money(or something like that, I'm not too big a basketball fan). I hope to see us do that in the near future.

I heavily agree with the suggestion to switch to college overtime.

As for the rookie salary cap, the only decent argument against it I've heard is the amount of leverage it allows veterans in negotiating larger contract extensions.

As Jamie Dukes on NFL Total Access put it, if a rookie gets an outrageous contract, a veteran can point to that when they want a pay raise and say, "Hey, I've got all these credentials, I've been to x-amount of Pro Bowls, and I've done this much to help the team, and he's done nothing; let ME get that payday if HE can get it for doing nothing. In fact, I even deserve MORE than that, but I'll either take this much LESS than him, or you'll have to give me this much MORE than him."

I, to an extent, agree with Dukes' assessment (that's not a direct quote from him, btw), but I believe that veterans don't need to point to rookie contracts to get their big pay day -- they can just point to their piers and use previous contracts as a benchmark. I don't think the escalation of rookie contracts is necessary to further the wealth of the veterans in the future.

[Ravens_Pwn12]

I got this idea from another message board. if you could change one thing about the NFL, whether its a rule, schedule, draft process, referees, or anything else what would it be?

I would make all FG's 60 yards+ worth 4 points. quick story, I was playing online talking trash back and forth to some dude thousands of miles away. the score was 40-37, and I had to attempt a 61 yarder and I nailed it, cause you know I got ice in my veins So anyways its on to OT and I lose the toss. I kick it off to the guy and the next thing you know Dante Hall is in the endzone!!

its not everyday someone kicks a 60 yarder, so I believe it should be worth more!!

they shouldnt change it you just have to get better at covering kicks

[Cowboysfan]

I would change the rookie compensation package. Guys who have never played a down in the NFL should not be paid way more than veterans.

exactly.

[SaltwaterServr]

I agree with being able to decline any penalty for the very reason being alluded to by the original poster. I was furious at that bail out.

Oh well, 18-1 is still 18-1! Well, unless you're a Bears or 49er's fan.

Then 18-1 includes winning the Super Bowl.