NFL owners table 4th-and-15 alternative to the onside kick, approve three new rules
The NFL owners decided to table the 4th-and-15 proposal according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The new rule would've given teams an alternative to the onside kick.
Instead of hoping for a good bounce on an unpredictable kick, teams would've been allowed to go for it on fourth-and-15 from their own 25-yard line. If they converted, then the drive would've continued. If not, the opposing team would get possession from wherever the ball was spotted.
Only eight of 63 (12.7 percent) onside kick attempts were recovered last season according to NFL Research. There were only seven fourth-and-15s in 2019 and two were converted, which is a significantly higher success rate (28.6 percent).
There's a chance NFL owners could approve the 4th-and-15 proposal in the future, but it didn't happen on Thursday.
Peliserro reports that three new rules and a bylaw were passed.
NFL teams will no longer be able to manipulate the game clock with multiple dead-ball fouls. The Titans used this strategy in their win over the Patriots in the playoffs last season.
Owners voted to expand defenseless player protection for punt and kick returns.
They also permanently added the automatic replay reviews of scoring plays and turnovers. That rule has been in place, but they voted to keep it around long-term.
The league also approved a bylaw change, which will increase the number of players that may be designated to return from injured reserve from two to three.
The Bengals brought John Ross and Darius Phillips back from injured reserve last season. They'll be able to activate a third player under the new bylaw.
The 4th-and-15 proposal would've been interesting, especially for a team that has plenty of weapons like the Bengals.
The proposal could still be approved in the future.
