The NFL announced Wednesday that it has sent two proposed rules to clubs for consideration ahead of the annual convention, which runs from March 29 to April 1 in Phoenix.
One of the proposals presented by the Cleveland Browns is to allow draft picks to be traded for up to five seasons in the future.
Teams are currently allowed to send draft picks up to three years in advance. The rationale provided for the change is that extending the range of available benefits by an additional two years would provide greater flexibility in plan design.
The Pittsburgh Steelers proposed the other rule, which, if approved, would make a permanent change implemented during the 2025 season that allowed teams to have one video or phone call (of no more than an hour) with up to five prospective unrestricted free agents during the two-day signing window that precedes the start of the new league year. Teams would also be allowed to make travel arrangements with those players once they agree to terms.
In the past, contact was only allowed between teams and free agents’ certified agents — or between a front office and a free agent not represented by a certified agent. An agent must still be involved in the one allowed call with players represented in the negotiating window, if teams pass Pittsburgh’s proposed rule.
Pittsburgh’s proposed argument for making the rule permanent is that it is “more competitively fair.”
As expected, there was no proposal to ban the so-called “tush push” as there had been last year. Interestingly, there are no club rules or legislative proposals in the league’s announcement.
The competition committee’s recommendations are expected to be circulated next week, the department said.