The NFL has announced a rule change heading into the 2024 season.
According to Pro Football Talk, the league has tweaked its IR rules.
In terms of designating players to return from injured reserve, teams will have eight designations like last year.
But, they will now also get two additional designations for the postseason.
If a team has not used all eight of its designations in the regular season, those can carry over into the playoffs.
Players can also return from the injured list twice.
This could turn out to be a massive storyline for all teams as the season moves along.
Especially with the playoffs being a do-or-die format, teams will need everyone who is available to be ready.
Getting a second opportunity to be able to have your best players on the roster, who were previously hurt, is a huge opportunity.
This was a decision by the NFL that came after the Detroit Lions proposed the idea of unlimited IR returns for the postseason.
Regardless, this is a win for the rest of the league.
Of course, players who are put on the injured list still must miss a minimum of four games.
But in the end, all 32 teams will get an extra opportunity to possibly bring back a key player who was hurt.
Again, the playoffs in the NFL come down to one game.
This isn’t a series like in any other major sport.
This extra IR designation should come in quite handy for all 32 teams if they are dealing with injuries down the stretch.
