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NFL Weighs Giving Defenses a Boost

As the competition committee convenes this week, a series of rule changes are reportedly on the table. Most notably a simplification of the catch rule seems likely, though the details of that may not be clear until owners meet next month. In the meantime, there is debate about capping the penalty for pass interference at 15 yards, rather than placing the ball at the spot of the foul. (This is already the rule in college.)

How big of an impact would that change make? Well last season there were 137 DPI calls of greater than 15 yards, and had they been capped, it would have saved defenses around the league 1,618 yards (for comparison, Antonio Brown led the NFL with 1,533 yards in 2017).