The CFL Rules Committee proposed some major rule changes for the upcoming season on Thursday; changes that could lead to more exciting plays and higher scoring games should they be approved later this spring by the Board of Governors.

The biggest change concerns punting plays, and would be good news for returners around the league.

The new rule is meant to create space for punt returners. The Rules Committee recommended prohibiting the five interior lineman from a punting team from advancing past the line of scrimmage and pursuing the returner until the ball is kicked, at which point they can join their teammates downfield. The rule should give returners more time and space to get up to full speed before hitting the full onslaught of defenders.

Punt returns have been in the spotlight all off-season after Brandon Banksโ€™ would-be Grey Cup winning return for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats was nullified on an illegal block in the back penalty.

On that play, the flag was thrown shortly after Banks caught the ball. Under the new rule, there would be fewer defenders to block initially, which should result in a decrease of similar penalties.

Banks appeared to allude to the rule change on earlier Thursday, and tweeted his approval.

Also proposed on punting plays is five-yard no yards penalties being tacked on to the end of a return.

Another change that could lead to more big plays, or turnovers, is an adjustment to pass interference rulings.

No contact whatsoever is allowed between receivers and defensive backs after five yards, meaning hand fighting downfield while the ball is in the air will result in a penalty.

Reports of that change sparked a lively debate on Twitter between quarterbacks Henry Burris and Zach Collaros, and some of the league's defenders. The QBs were predictably pleased their receivers could run routes unabated while the defenders were quick to point out receivers can be just as guilty making contact downfield with pushoffs before the catch.

Meanwhile, a third rule change will put more pressure on kickers league-wide.

Teams will now line up at the 25-yard line after scoring a touchdown for a PAT. According to the CFL, last year PATs were successful 99.4 per cent of the time while field goal attempts from between 31 and 33 yards were successful 81 per cent of the time.

On the flip side, teams opting for a two-point convert following a touchdown will have the ball placed on the three-yard line, instead of the five-yard line, where it was placed last season.

The Governors will also be able to choose to test a convert worth three points in the pre-season. In this scenario, if a team elects to try a three-point convert, the ball would be placed on the 10-yard line.

These changes are all coming a season after the CFL made defensive pass interference calls reviewable by coaches, an implementation that was largely seen as a success, so much so that the NFL is reportedly considering a similar change. The Rules Committee proposed to extend that to offensive pass interference this season as well.

Other rules proposals include offensive teams being able to signal to the referee that it doesn't want to substitute any players in favour of an uptempo offence, which would allow officials to blow in play immediately once the ball is placed, and the elimination of teams being able to force re-kicks on kickoffs that go out of bounds. In this scenario, the receiving team would choose to take the ball either where it went out of bounds or at a point 30 yards in advance of where it was kicked.