Lions propose rule change to adjust coach's ability to earn third challenge

Every year, the NFL's Competition Committee weighs alterations to the league's rule book and bylaws proposed by teams. This year, they will debate four rule changes and five bylaw proposals from clubs, with the Detroit Lions responsible for four of the suggestions.

With the rule changes, the Lions are asking the league to adjust a coach's ability to earn a third challenge. As it currently stands, a team only gets a third if both of their first two resulted in calls being overturned. The Lions are proposing the requirement is changed to only needing to get one of two correct to get a third challenge.

Two other rule proposals of note include Philadelphia's pitch to replace the onside kick with a fourth-and-20 from the kicking team's 20-yard line. It would require teams to declare their intentions before the play. They would have to be trailing and would only be allowed to do it twice per game.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis is suggesting official-initiated replay review in the final two minutes of both halves be expanded to allow for incorrect penalties to be overturned.

With the bylaws, which focuses more on roster management, the Lions submitted a trio of proposals.

First, the team is hoping to see the elimination of a rule that requires a player to be rostered one day after final cuts before they can be placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. As it currently stands, any player placed on injured reserve prior to spending a day on the 53-man roster would not be eligible to return for that team during the season.

Detroit also wants the limit of injured players eligible to return to be lifted. The league has made steady progress from allowing zero players to return to eight in recent years, while simultaneously trimming the time required on the injured list from eight to four games.

Finally, the Lions joined six other teams is requesting the league's trade deadline be pushed back. Currently, the deadline occurs the Tuesday after Week 8 of the regular season. The Steelers asked for an extra week, while the Lions were one of five franchises requesting the deadline be moved to Tuesday after Week 10.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers