The NFL approves the proposal to move the trade deadline back one week

Plus, a look at the new kickoff rule and a Christmas day game.

The NFL approved a handful of rule changes and bylaws Tuesday morning. The new kickoff rule will impact every team. Here are some cliff notes from the NFL’s hybrid kickoff:

• More returns are guaranteed, as any kick between the 20 and the end zone must be returned
• No fair catches
• Bouncing touchbacks go to the 20
• End zone touchbacks go to the 3-
• Kicks that don’t reach the 20 results in a touchback at the 40

Here’s a visual of what to expect the new kickoffs to look like:

• The NFL also moved back the trade deadline, which the Pittsburgh Steelers proposed. The new deadline will be the Tuesday following the Week 9 games.

Initially, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry spearheaded a multi-team proposal that requested the deadline be pushed back two weeks to Week 10, but the league met in the middle, and the deadline was moved back one week instead.

The Competition Committee’s reason for the approval is: “Sets the trade deadline one week later at the mid-point of the 18-week regular season.

Those are the two major changes from Tuesday that we haven’t already discussed. Here’s a look at all the changes:

CBS Sports Johnathan Jones reported that the NFL plans to play a game on Christmas Day this upcoming season once again. If it’s the San Francisco 49ers, they’re hoping for better results than last year.

But the fact that the NFL is willing to play a Wednesday — something the league previously said they wouldn’t do — game to draw ratings tells you where their focus is: Money. This will be something the players will inevitably speak up about.

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