The NFL offseason is here, and many free agents have already been signed. While the next big milestone is the NFL draft, other parts of the offseason are important, too. That includes potential rule changes. Only two were proposed this year, but the Steelers put forth one of them, as shared by CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones.
There are only two teams that submitted resolution proposals this year: Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The Steelers wish to make permanent a rule that was tried out this year, and the Browns wants picks to be able to be traded 5 years out instead of 3. pic.twitter.com/sczFXwa9R6
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 18, 2026
The Steelers proposed a rule change last year, allowing teams to hold up to five hour-long Zoom calls with free agents they’re interested in during the legal tampering period. It passed, and it went into effect this year. While there weren’t many reports of it being used, the Steelers are pushing for the change to be made permanent.
It wouldn’t be surprising if this passed, too. It didn’t seem too controversial last year, and it didn’t seem to cause any issues this offseason. Also, it helps modernize free agency. The legal tampering period is a tricky spot in the NFL calendar. While it’s only a few days, teams can talk to pending free agents and agree to deals, although nothing can be official until free agency actually begins.
Being able to talk to those players and also make travel arrangements with them just helps streamline the process. Even if it isn’t used very often, it doesn’t seem like something the NFL would push back on too much.
The other proposal was put forth by the Cleveland Browns, and it would allow teams to trade draft picks up to five seasons in the future. Currently, teams can only trade picks up to three seasons in the future.
That’s a little trickier, and it could be tougher to pass than the Steelers’ proposal. Teams would have more ammunition in potential trades, but letting them move so much draft capital could be a problem. The NBA ran into a problem with that a while ago, with teams mortgaging so much of their future in bad deals that they struggled to bounce back.
Ultimately, the NBA adjusted the rule so that teams couldn’t trade first-round picks in back-to-back years. The NFL could face a similar issue if the Browns’ rule change passes. There are pros and cons to both sides.
Recommended for you