Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri supports kickoff rules changes

The NFL's oldest active player is a proponent of the planned changes in the kickoff rules for next season.

With league owners expected to approve the modifications at next week's NFL meetings, Indianapolis Colts veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri voiced support for the proposed changes.

"I think these changes are probably going to be for the better," said Vinatieri during an appearance Thursday on NFL Network host Rich Eisen's radio show. "It's really going to be interesting how special teams coaches try to find a way to gain an advantage. Are they going to kick it short and make teams return it or are they going to go ahead and try to kick it deep to get a touchback?"

The NFL's Competition Committee announced the changes earlier this month as part of a continued effort to ensure player safety.

Under the proposed rules, there will be no running start or pre-kick motion by kickoff coverage teams and no wedge blocks by the return team.

In addition, there will be a 15-yard, non-contact zone from the spot of the kick, with the return team required to have a minimum of eight players lined up 15 yards from the ball.

It is expected that the rules will take some of the bigger linemen off the field because there will be a premium placed on agility and speed to operate in space, and also eliminate some of the violent collisions often seen on kickoffs.

Kickoff coverage is expected to resemble what happens on punts.

The 45-year-old Vinatieri dismissed the idea of completely eliminating kickoffs, an idea that has been bandied about in the past. He also said it will take up to half the season to gauge the effects of the rule changes, predicting there may be some unexpected "wrinkles" along the way.