Dallas Cowboys kicker David Buehler got the best possible result out of the NFL owners' meetings today.
The owners approved moving up kickoffs by five yards to the 35 but kept the spot for touchbacks at the 20.
The original proposal called for the spot to be advanced to the 25, which would have devalued the touchback and lessened Buehler's impact. During his two seasons in the NFL, Buehler is tied with Atlanta's Michael Koenen for the most touchbacks with 51.
Wtih the rule change, Buehler should get touchbacks at will, if he keep the job. Buehler's average length of kickoffs, minus on-sides tries, is 67.4 yards. That is the seventh-best average in the league and would put a returner more than two yards into the end zone when he fields the football.
Veteran Kris Brown, who will compete with Buehler for the job, averaged 66.3 yards per kickoff in the same span. The put him in the middle of the pack, 15th among the 34 players with at least 80 kickoffs in the last two seasons.
The change should also lessen the impact of kickoff returners. That would make it easier for the Cowboys to justify not using wide receiver Dez Bryant as a returner and exposing him to the risk of injury. He missed the final four games last season because of an ankle injury incurred on a kickoff return at Indianapolis.
The owners approved moving up kickoffs by five yards to the 35 but kept the spot for touchbacks at the 20.
The original proposal called for the spot to be advanced to the 25, which would have devalued the touchback and lessened Buehler's impact. During his two seasons in the NFL, Buehler is tied with Atlanta's Michael Koenen for the most touchbacks with 51.
Wtih the rule change, Buehler should get touchbacks at will, if he keep the job. Buehler's average length of kickoffs, minus on-sides tries, is 67.4 yards. That is the seventh-best average in the league and would put a returner more than two yards into the end zone when he fields the football.
Veteran Kris Brown, who will compete with Buehler for the job, averaged 66.3 yards per kickoff in the same span. The put him in the middle of the pack, 15th among the 34 players with at least 80 kickoffs in the last two seasons.
The change should also lessen the impact of kickoff returners. That would make it easier for the Cowboys to justify not using wide receiver Dez Bryant as a returner and exposing him to the risk of injury. He missed the final four games last season because of an ankle injury incurred on a kickoff return at Indianapolis.