NFLPA rejects IR, trade deadline rule changes

Feb 5, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFLPA executive vice president DeMaurice Smith before Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

According to ESPN.com, the NFL Players Assocation rejected the proposed rule changes that could have changed the dynamics of the injured reserve list and push back the trade deadline.

What does this mean for the St. Louis Rams fan who don’t closely follow NFLPA news?

It means that from a personnel perspective that nothing is going to change this season. If a player, this season, is designated to the injured reserve list, they cannot return to play for their team for the rest of the season. The current trade deadline is week six of the NFL regular season.

The proposed changes to the injured reserve list were to allow one player per season an opportunity to return from the injured reserve list should they be cleared of injuries. Also, the NFL wanted to push back the trade deadline to week eight of the NFL regular season.

Both of these changes would have been beneficial for NFL teams because them a chance to improve player personnel even later in the season than they are currently allowed to do. Teams trying to make the playoffs could have made trades later in the season to help bolster their rosters. There has been rumblings on the Internet that most NFL general managers were against moving the trade deadline back two weeks because it creates more work for them, but I don’t understand how having another opportunity to better your roster is such a bad thing.

Do you want to see these rules employed next season? Let us know by leaving a comment.