"NFL owners assembled here through Wednesday got their spring meeting going by unanimously approving three rules alterations in the area of player safety.

Here are the changes:

Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9: Adds some definitions to defenseless player rule, including a receiver "who has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player." The change also now incorporates kickers/punters, quarterbacks after a change of possession, and a blindside block "when the player is moving toward his own endline and approaches the opponent from behind of from the side.""