The NFL will consider significant changes to the kicking game with the competition committee proposing that the league adopt the college rule that allows touchbacks on fair catches of kickoffs and moving the touchback spot on punts to the 25-yard line.
NFL executive Troy Vincent said Friday that the competition committee looked at various rules on kickoffs in college and the spring leagues to try to reduce injuries on what is one of the more dangerous plays.
Vincent said the league needs more data from an XFL rule that reduces high speed collisions by lining up coverage players 35 yards ahead of the kicker and 5 yards apart from blockers, but said that the college rule that allows fair catches to be treated like touchbacks will reduce injuries about “20 to 25%”
“It may not be perfect. I think it will warrant some good discussion on the floor,” Vincent said.
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“The one thing that we all agreed upon was you can’t leave that play as it is, not with the injury rates at what we saw. You can’t leave it as is.”
Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, said the league looked at several ideas to change the punt play, which currently has the highest rate of injuries and penalties.
But for now, the committee is proposing a simple approach of moving touchbacks from the 20 to the 25-yard line in hopes of reducing the number of punts.
“The idea would be that if we put this rule in place, you actually might incentivize people to go for it on fourth down more,” McKay said.
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor has agreed to a contract with the Baltimore Ravens.
WR Agholor joins Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a contract with wide receiver Nelson Agholor. The team says it had reached an agreement in principle with the 29-year-old. He caught 31 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns with the New England Patriots last season.
Agholor played his first five NFL seasons with the Eagles, then one with the Raiders and two with the Patriots.
Raiders sign DT Jenkins
The Las Vegas Raiders say they’ve signed veteran defensive tackle John Jenkins to a free-agent contract. He most recently played for the Miami Dolphins the past two seasons.
Jenkins also played for the New Orleans Saints from 2013-16, the Seattle Seahawks in 2016, the Chicago Bears in 2017 and 2020 and the New York Giants in 2018. He has 212 career tackles.
Browns add WR Goodwin
The Cleveland Browns have added another speedy wide receiver after agreeing to contract terms with free agent Marquise Goodwin. The 32-year-old is getting a one-year deal.
Goodwin’s addition comes two days after the Browns acquired wide receiver Elijah Moore in a trade from the New York Jets.
Goodwin spent last season with Seattle, finishing with 27 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns.
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