ORLANDO, Fla. — It will not be perfect, but it will be better, and simpler to understand, promises John Mara.
The Giants’ co-owner is a member of the NFL’s competition committee, and this week at the NFL owners’ meeting a vote will be cast on a proposal intended to clear up the despised catch rule that has confounded players, coaches, officials and fans.
“I think we’re in pretty good shape on that, I think we’ll come out with something, it’s not gonna solve every single situation that you see,’’ Mara said Sunday. “I think it solves the bigger issues, the Dez Bryant play, the Calvin Johnson play, the Jesse James play. I think those should be ruled catches in the future.
“Is it gonna get every one? No. I think it puts us in a much better position than the one we have now, and so do most of the officials who we’ve spoken to about it as well, and the coaches as well.”
The proposal by the competition committee should clarify what is and is not a catch. It states for a receiver to be awarded a legal catch, he must have control of the ball with two feet, or another body part, on the ground, in bounds, and must perform a “football act’’ such as taking another step or reaching the ball toward the goal line or first-down marker. The proposal gets rid of the previous requirement that a player who goes to the ground while in the act of making a catch maintain possession of the ball while on the ground. The proposal also stipulates any slight movement of the ball in the hands of a receiver will not result in an incompletion — as long as the receiver maintains control of the ball.
Mara said the committee the past two weeks “probably watched 47 times” the controversial overturning of a touchdown catch by Jets tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in a game last season against the Patriots.
“There were people in the room who felt that ought to be a catch and there were some other people who felt it shouldn’t be,’’ Mara said. “This rule change is not gonna solve every single issue, you’re still gonna have a certain amount of subjectivity, I think it puts us in a much better position.’’
A vote by 24 of the 32 owners is required to pass a rules change.
As far as implementing an official policy — in response to the swirl of controversy and divisiveness last season — on how teams respond to the national anthem, Mara said something is likely coming, but not yet.
“I don’t expect any specific resolution to come out of this meeting on the anthem policy but I certainly think it will be discussed and some resolution hopefully will come out of the May meeting,’’ he said. “I don’t think we can wait more than that.’’
Mara said the Jets never called the Giants about trading up to get the second pick in the draft. The Jets struck a deal with the Colts to land the No. 3 pick. … Mara was informed by general manager Dave Gettleman that defensive end Josh Mauro was going to be suspended four games for violating the league’s policy on illegal substances before the team signed him. “I still gave the OK to sign him,’’ Mara said. “We have some coaches that have worked with him before [with the Cardinals] that believe he can help us long-term, so I gave the OK.’’
