03/18/26 06:25:00
Printable Page
03/18 18:23 CDT NFL will consider a rule change allowing draft pick trades up
to 5 years in the future
NFL will consider a rule change allowing draft pick trades up to 5 years in the
future
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
The Cleveland Browns are proposing a rule change that would allow NFL teams to
trade draft picks five years into the future instead of three.
The league announced on Wednesday that only two teams submitted proposals that
will be considered by owners at the league meetings later this month with the
other coming from the Pittsburgh Steelers about contacting players during the
free agent negotiating period.
NFL executive Troy Vincent said last month at the scouting combine that no team
had submitted a proposal to ban the tush push after Green Bay's proposed rule
change was narrowly defeated last year. There were no other on-field rule
changes proposed by teams this year, although the competition committee will
announce next week its proposed rule changes.
Any changes need to be approved by at least 24 of the 32 teams.
The most significant proposal came from the Browns, who are trying to extend
how far into the future teams can trade draft picks. Current rules only allow
teams to trade draft picks up to three years into the future, compared to a
seven-year window in the NBA.
A new crop of general managers has led to more trades in recent years and this
rule change would make that easier in the future. There have already been six
first-round picks from this year's draft that have been traded with the latest
coming earlier this week when Denver sent its first rounder to Miami for
receiver Jaylen Waddle.
The Browns argued that the changes would lead to a more active trade market and
greater roster flexibility.
The NFL allowed teams this year on a trial basis to conduct up to five phone or
video calls directly with players on other teams during the two-day free agent
negotiating period before the start of the league year. Teams previously had
only been able to contact agents during that time.
The Steelers are asking for that rule to be permanent, as well as allowing
teams to make travel arrangements before the start of the league year with
players who have agreed to terms for new contracts during the negotiating
period.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
|
