Under the NFL’s new kickoff rule, returners will have a better chance to make big plays and touchbacks will go to the 30-yard line. Which means some teams will decide to simply punt the ball into the end zone rather than risk a long return.
As the Cardinals worked on new kickoff rules this offseason, general manager Monti Ossenfort said they are preparing for the possibility that touchbacks become the norm and offenses begin from the 30 instead of the 25 where touchbacks After kickoffs, they placed the ball earlier. .
“I think it will be interesting to see,” Ossenfort said. “I think different teams will approach this in different ways. I think some will say, ‘Let’s go out there and try to cover this.’ And I think some will say, ‘Forget it, we’ll give you the extra five.’ What these teams are, I don’t know. Stay tuned, we’ll see. I’m just as excited to see this as you are.
The NFL changed the kickoff rule in an attempt to encourage comebacks, but if the comebacks become too successful, that won’t happen. NFL kickers have good enough legs to generally kick the ball out of the end zone if they want, and that could happen often this season.
