NFL Notes: Compensatory Picks, Rule Changes, Bills, & Steelers

Compensatory Picks

• Jason Cole of B/R reports that NFL agents are “furious” that the NFL will allow teams to trade compensatory picks starting in 2016.
• The concern from agents is that this change makes compensatory picks more valuable and will likely impact the value of free agents, seeing as teams can recoup a draft pick by allowing them to sign elsewhere.

Rule Changes

Two-Minute Warning

• Jason Cole of B/R reports that the two-minute warning could be a “thing of the past.”
• An executive mentions that considers is a “waste of time” based on the fact that it adds to the length of NFL games. By eliminating the two-minute warning in each half, it would save around 3-4 minutes or so on the length of a game.
• Cole adds that NFL teams would likely get another timeout of around 30 seconds based on this proposal.

Playoff Reseeding

• According to Jason Cole, this year could be a “turning point” in regards to how teams are seeded in the playoffs, due to 8-8 or worse teams hosting playoff games.
• Cole mentions that there could end up being two division — NFC East and AFC South — could each be 8-8 or worse and host playoff games.
• The home-field advantage is considered to be too valuable to allow a team witha better record to go on the road. In fact, Cole notes that four teams have won their division with an 8-8 record or worse and all four wound up winning their home playoff game.

Bills

• Former Saints DC Rob Ryan was at the Bills’ practice on Wednesday in full Bills coaching gear, according to Vic Carucci.
• However, Alex Marvez reports that Rob is just visiting his brother’s team and is not being added to their coaching staff.

Steelers

Steelers veteran OLB James Harrison mentioned that he’s not even thinking about retirement or that he’ll be entering the final year of his contract next year.

“You know, I still got another year on the contract,” Harrison said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “So we will play this year out; I’m not even thinking about that at this point to be honest with you. I can’t think any further ahead than the next game. We’re right now in a situation where we have to.”