All 32 NFL teams will gather in Phoenix this week where owners and their respective executives will discuss league issues and concerns.

Around these meetings, proposals in modifying certain game procedures will also be tackled. Aside from the Raiders' intention to move from Oakland to Las Vegas, essential subjects to be conferred with also include precautionary measures for players and enhancements that will make pro football approach better.

Leading the list of topics to be discussed is to shorten overtime periods. Although this matter has been altered years back with the implementation of the sudden death process, the proposal has been revived due to the number of games ending in stalemates last season. It is perceived that extended plays will be limited to 10 minutes during the regular season. However, it is still likely that the 15-minute overtime period in the playoffs will be retained.

Second, the NFL is also looking to make adjustments at the end of the yard line. This process has already been altered from 20 yards to 25. The extended measurement has repelled the league's intention for receiving teams to take the extra yards since players tend to kick it off in order to shorten the goal line.

Next is the centralization of replay review decisions. If approved, the main officiating control office in New York will directly pass on judgments to referees on the field during on-going games. The likelihood of this procedure to pass has been attributed to its immediate effect.

Another significant adjustment needed to be approved involves automatic ejections. Although the NFL has instituted a dry run last season for a rule that will eject players with two unsportsmanlike inflictions in one game, the pro football association wants more restriction to deter dangerous and prohibited hits. The league intends to adopt an NCAA ruling that allows referees to disqualify players based on unnecessary roughness on the field.

More importantly, the NFL will be accepting full-time referees into the league. It is worth noting that refs have been part-timers for a considerable stretch of time. Although this is a step in the right direction especially in terms of compensation, incoming members must leave the referee union.

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