How the new NFL kickoff rule affects more than just the kick returner for the Cowboys

The new kickoff rule opens up opportunities for more than just KaVontae Turpin.

The 2024 NFL season will come with a fresh update to the kickoff rule that hopes to bring a bit more excitement to the otherwise mundane play. There are a lot of details to the new rule but the main difference is that the players will line up closer to the kick returner to avoid high-speed collisions.

Before the voluntary OTA’s kicked off (pun intended) for the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month, special teams coach John Fassel talked to the media about the new NFL kickoff rule and how it will affect practices, personnel, and overall kicking strategies. Reviewing the play from the XFL is a good place to start as the new rule is inspired by the XFL kickoff, however, Fassel believes that a lot of the differences are currently “unknown”. Expect a lot of trial and error throughout the NFL as teams test out different ideas and adjust to the changes.

“I think its all unknown, which is kind of the cool part, for me and hopefully for everybody else is lets just see what happens.”

As the new rule brings the opportunity for game-changing plays on kickoffs, teams will need to be well prepared when the season starts. It will be a race to see which teams can adjust to the new rule the fastest and the Cowboys are wasting no time getting to work crafting their kickoff strategy. Fassel mentioned that the team is hitting the ground running with kickoffs and kickoff returns at OTA’s, where previously the initial focus would usually be on punts. It will also be a major focus during training camp and the preseason increasing from only around 10% of their practice time in previous seasons. The practice will be crucial to experiment with different personnel and fine-tune the kickoff/kick return playbook.

One of the more interesting aspects about the new rule is how it will affect the different special teams positions. It is anticipated that returners like KaVontae Turpin and possibly Deuce Vaughn will have more chances to return kickoffs and ultimately add more value to the team, but what does this new rule mean for the rest of the players?

As there is no longer a need to run the length of the field in order to tackle the kick returner, the strategy may be less about speed and more about power, strength and blocking. This may open up opportunities for players to contribute to ST that otherwise wouldn’t have had that chance. While defensive end Sam Williams played a role on special teams last season due to his speed, it looks as though other defensive line players may get that chance due to their strength as tacklers. Fassel called out a few players that could fit that bill: Marshawn Kneeland, Junior Fehoko, and Chauncey Golston. Each of these players are looking stake their claim in the DL rotation this season, but with a finite number of snaps, special teams may be an additional opportunity to wreak some havoc.

On the kickoff return side, Fassel doesn’t necessarily view the play as a zone run type of play, however he does mention that having bigger bodies to block for the returner could be a valuable strategy. This could mean that we see more OL and TEs on the field during kickoff returns. Fassel pointed out Luke Schoonmaker as an example. Schoonmaker is right in the middle of a battle for the TE2 spot but his biggest setbacks lie outside of his blocking ability. There is a good possibility we see Schoonmaker on the field blocking for kickoff returns this season.

The player making the biggest adjustments this season is none other than the kicker, Brandon Aubrey. The new rule calls for kicks to be placed within the “landing zone” between the goal line and the 20-yard line. Anything farther would result in a touchback with the ball at the 30 and anything shorter would result in a dead play placing the ball at the 40. While there may be teams that decide to settle on touchbacks, it appears that Fassel is expecting Aubrey to aim for the landing zone.

Aubrey will have to focus more on placement instead of just kicking it as far as he possibly can. It takes a lot of control and skill to ensure the ball only goes a specific distance. Fassel mentioned that this might also mean that kicking teams will take advantage of different types of kicks to make it harder to return, almost like a pitcher in baseball. He also hopes that Aubrey’s background in soccer might work in their favor.

While no one is certain on what to expect from kickoffs this season, it is certain that there will be more opportunities for players to prove their value on ST. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds with new personnel and different strategies. Which teams will crack the code first? It is just a hunch, but it may work in the Cowboys’ favor that their coordinator was a champion for the rule change.