Some good news on Thursday as Adam Schefter reports via Twitter that the NFL and the NFLPA have come to an agreement on a new 8 week injured reserve rule that can be used on one player in 2012.
It was looking like this new rule change wasn\’t going to get approved by the NFLPA, but in passing it, it will allow the Pittsburgh Steelers to place rookie right guard David DeCastro on injured reserve, where he will stay for eight weeks.
DeCastro injured his right knee in the Steelers third preseason game against the Buffalo Bills and was scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to reportedly repair a dislocated knee cap, a torn MCL and damage to the patellar tendon.
As Schefter points out, only players with a “major injury” who are placed on Reserve/Injured list after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on Tuesday, September 4, or thereafter during the season, will be eligible to be reactivated at a later time.
This means that DeCastro must first be carried on the 53 man roster after the final cuts are made Friday night. After that, he can be placed on injured reserve list Tuesday following the deadline.
Teams can only use the 8 week rule on one player.
