NFL Notes: Sam Darnold, Draft, Rule Changes

Sam Darnold

There were a number of notable NFL coaches and GMs in attendance for USC QB Sam Darnold‘s Pro Day on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter, including:

• Browns: John Dorsey, Hue Jackson, Todd Haley, Ken Zampese
• Giants: Pat Shurmur, Mike Shula
• Jets: Mike Maccagnan, Todd Bowles, Jeremy Bates
• Cardinals: Steve Keim, Steve Wilks, Mike McCoy, Byron Leftwich
• Chargers: Anthony Lynn, Ken Whisenhunt

After the workout, Darnold said he has met with the Browns and Giants, per Calvin Watkins.

Draft

• Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst reports that at least five NFL general managers attended Penn State’s Pro Day, including Steelers GM Kevin Colbert and Panthers GM Marty Hurney. Additionally, the Jets’ and Panthers’ receivers coaches were both on hand.
• Patriots WRs coach Chad O’Shea is scheduled to meet with Penn State WR DaeSean Hamilton on Wednesday.
• Penn State DL Curtis Cothran spent “extensive time” with the Steelers, Giants, Jaguars, and Titans at his Pro Day and is scheduled to take an official visit to the Steelers’ headquarters in Pittsburgh.
• Pauline adds that Cothran has been invited to the Bills, Ravens, Eagles, Giants and Jets local prospect days.
• Pauline mentions that Hawaii LT Dejon Allen has been graded as a guard or center at the professional level and has interviewed with the Vikings, Texans, Cardinals, and Packers.
• Hawaii S Trayvon Henderson has an official visit with the Texans and met with the Lions, Titans, Bengals, Packers, and Rams at his Pro Day.
• According to Pauline, Cal LB Devante Downs is receiving “heavy interest” from the Giants, Vikings, Redskins, Browns, Panthers, and Patriots.
• The Lions met with Cal CB Darius Allensworth “at length” at his Pro Day on Tuesday. (Justin Rogers)

Rule Changes

NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent outlined the potential changes to the catch rule that will be considered by the competition committee at the owners meeting.

“We worked backward,” Vincent told Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “We looked at plays and said: Do you want that to be a catch? And then we applied that to the rule.”

“Slight movement of the ball, it looks like we’ll reverse that,” Vincent said. “Going to the ground, it looks like that’s going to be eliminated. And we’ll go back to the old replay standard of reverse the call on the field only when it’s indisputable.”

• NFL owners will vote on a proposal from the Jets to make pass interference a 15-yard penalty, “unless the foul is determined to be intentional and egregious by the officiating crew.” (Albert Breer)
• The Chargers proposed making roughing the passer and defenseless receiver flags reviewable. (Albert Breer)
• A Redskins’ proposal would make all personal foul penalties reviewable.
• After going year-to-year with touchbacks moving to the 25-yard line, NFL owners will vote to make this a permanent change. (Albert Breer)
• One bylaw change being considered would prevent teams from being scheduled to play more than three away games with a scheduled kickoff time prior to 1:00 pm in the time zone of their home stadium without consent. (Albert Breer)
• Another bylaw changes include allowing teams to trade players that are on injured reserve. This would require the team to use one of their designations to return on the player being traded. (Albert Breer)
• There’s also a proposal to make it so non-vested players wouldn’t have to clear waivers when rosters are at 90 players.
• Interestingly enough, there’s a proposal to change to the definition of “local” and assign three FBS schools to every NFL team, which would allow them to work those guys out at their facility. (Albert Breer)