The NFL does not want a repeat of the NFC Championship Game when the Sam Francisco 49ers ended up with no healthy quarterbacks and running back Christian McCaffrey ended up playing some quarterback.
At the league’s annual spring meeting, a bylaw was approved that would allow teams to keep a third quarterback active on game days without burning roster spot.
This is a return to the rule that existed from 1991-2010, when teams could have 45 players active and a designated emergency quarterback. In 2011, the rule was changed to simply have 46 players, regardless of position active.
One current stipulation is that teams must have at least eight offensive linemen active.
With this new bylaw, teams will have 46 players active and can have a third quarterback designated who is eligible to play under emergency situations.
Under the new rule, if a team has three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, all three can be available. Quarterbacks on the practice squad and elevated to be eligible to play are not eligible to be the designated emergency quarterback.
This third quarterback not counted against the 46-man active game-day roster may play only if the other two quarterbacks are unable to play at some point during the game due to injury or disqualification.
If, once the third quarterback is in the game, one of the first two is cleared to return to the game, the emergency quarterback must come out and is not able to play again unless there is injury or disqualification.
What does this mean for the Arizona Cardinals?
It means, if they want to use this, they must keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. And if Kyler Murray is on the roster but not ready to play, they would have to keep four to be able to have the emergency option.
We will see how often the Cardinals actually use this once the regular season rolls around.
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