Though the NFL has already moved touchbacks out to the 25-yard line starting this coming season, the league is still looking for other ways to make kickoffs safer, and they're even consulting special teams coaches.
NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino held a conference call with all 32 special teams coordinators, according to a USA Today report.
Though no rules are expected to be adopted this year, USA Today reported that some ideas kicked around during the conference call involved stationary starts for teams kicking off, outlawing all wedges, and the possibility of treating kickoffs like punts in that they can't be recovered as live balls.
"I'm optimistic that we're going to get some creative ideas that will allow the play to continue and potentially make the play safer," said NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay, who was on the conference call, according to USA Today.
"I don't remember us ever being able to engage with a position group from all 32 teams before," McKay said, though he did note head coaches are often consulted.
While the NFL has made the effort to improve kickoff safety, it remains unclear if new policy changes will net improvement.
The decision to move touchbacks from the 20-yard line to the 25 could have some unintended consequences. Theoretically, skilled place-kickers could drop kickoffs short of the goal line to force scramble returns that could be stopped far short of the 25-yard line.