NFL Notes: Catch Rule, Browns, Texans

Catch Rule

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during an interview with Colin Cowherd Monday that he’s “concerned” about the catch rule and plans to push for more changes this offseason.

“I’m not just somewhat concerned [about the rule],” Goodell said, via CBSSports.com. “I am concerned.”

“We just had five Hall-of-Fame receivers and several coaches come in just two weeks ago to focus on the catch-no-catch rule, how we bring clarity — and this is where the balance comes in, Colin,” Goodell explained. “We’ve had other examples of this over the years where you want there to be clarity from an officiating standpoint, a coaching, and a player standpoint — they know what it is, what it isn’t. … I think here you might have clarity in a large element of it, but then what happens is that it’s not the rule that people really want.”

One particular aspect of the catch rule that will be a focus, according to Goodell, is players going to the ground with the ball.

“We’ve got some ideas of how to bring some clarity to that, particularly in the going to the ground that I think has created a lot of the confusion because it’s a different rule when you’re going to the ground when you’re on the sideline or in the end zone,” Goodell said. “I think that’s what we’re focusing on. The competition committee is going to be bringing this up in February and March.

“I hope we’ll be able to address this in a way that will bring more clarity and frankly more excitement to this.”

Browns

Browns GM John Dorsey tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com that he has watched eight games of tape on each of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield and believes all four of them are first-round picks.

“From a talent perspective, each in their different way, with what they bring?” Dorsey said when about the four quarterbacks being first-round talents. “Yeah, I do.”

However, Dorsey made it clear that he isn’t getting ahead of himself with the process of evaluating these quarterbacks.

“We’re just in the beginning stages,” Dorsey said. “I don’t want to say it’s a five-phase, six-phase plan, but I think there are steps involved in this thing that lead you all the way up to the draft, to where hopefully, if we do this right, we get a good player and there’s unanimous consent and everyone’s on board. …

“It’s the same process (as it was with Mahomes). We all know the NFL is a quarterback-driven league nowadays, so you have to do the deepest research with regards to that position. We’ll have some plans in place to see if they fit what the Cleveland Browns want in that position. We’ll go about it that way. I’m too old now, I’m not going to change, I’m going to do it the way I know best.”

Texans

• Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes that Texans OLB Jadeveon Clowney is in line to land a blockbuster contract.
• As of now, there have been no contract negotiations between the Texans and Clowney, but Wilson says this will be a primary item on the team’s offseason agenda.
• Wilson believes Clowney is worth more than the six-year, $114.1 million contract that Broncos OLB Von Miller signed a few years ago.
• One factor that would help the Texans afford another $100 million contract for a front-seven player is the fact that QB Deshaun Watson is in the second year of his rookie contract.