'Flag Football?' Ravens, NFL Must Adapt to Major Rule Change in 2023
While the Baltimore Ravens kick off the second week of OTAs, the NFL has approved a few notable changes for the upcoming season.
NFL owners recently met for the annual spring meeting, and among the approved proposals are the ability to flex Thursday Night Football games and the "emergency" third quarterback position. However, the biggest change is to kickoffs.
The new rule will give the receiving team the ball at its own 25 with a fair catch of a kickoff anywhere behind that yard line — just as if the kickoff had gone through the end zone.
The NFL reasons that the change will reduce the risk of injuries - especially concussions - on kickoffs, which are typically one of the most dangerous parts of the game. The argument against the rule is centered around concerns it pushes the kickoff return further toward irrelevance and will lead to uglier plays with squib and corner kicks.
All this will certainly impact how Baltimore's returners will make decisions on kickoffs. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay has handled majority of kickoff duties for the past three years.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid have concerns about the special teams change. Harbaugh is a former special teams coordinator and said the Ravens voted against it because they "thought there were better ideas."
Reid told reporters last week that he worries that one change will turn into many that will ultimately transform the game in a negative way. The reigning Super Bowl Champion Chiefs are favorites to again win the Lombardi Trophy but will have to make special teams adjustments like the Ravens and rest of the league.
“So you start taking pieces (away), and we’ll see how this goes, but you don’t want to take too many pieces away," Reid said. "You’ll be playing flag football.”
The kickoff rule is a one-year change that will be reevaluated next offseason. Reports suggested that this change had been opposed by a significant number of the league’s special teams coaches.
With a new-look roster after an active offseason, Baltimore looks to contend into the playoffs this season by adjusting to the internal and external shifts in 2023.
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