Last May, the NFL approved a new rule that would allow teams to have an emergency quarterback for each game. The Buffalo Bills are hoping the league is willing to tweak that rule.
Under the current rule, the emergency quarterback must be on the team’s 53-player roster. The player can’t be elevated from the practice squad.
The Bills, however, are hoping to change that. Buffalo’s proposal would not require the emergency quarterback to be on the 53-man roster.
Additionally, the Bills’ proposal would allow a member of the practice squad to be the emergency quarterback. This would operate separately from the two standard game-day elevations.
The Competition Committee had a similar proposal except the practice squad quarterback would count as one of the game-day elevations.
Neither rule proposal changes the fact that an emergency quarterback can’t play unless the top options on the depth chart are unavailable. We can’t imagine that aspect of the rule changes anytime soon.
With the NFL offseason in full swing, it won’t be long before we hear more about this rule. In the meantime, fans should operate with the expectation that an emergency quarterback must be on the 53-man roster.