NEW ORLEANS — Few plays are as memorable or dangerous as long kickoff returns. Highlight shows can’t get enough of Devin Hester, Leon Washington or Joshua Cribbs breaking one.

The NFL wants to keep those “game-breaking” plays, competition committee chairman Rich McKay says. The league also wants them to be safer.

So the committee has proposed several significant changes to kickoffs, and owners will vote on them today. If passed, kickoffs will be taken from the 35-yard line instead of the 30. Touchbacks will come out to the 25 rather than the 20. Wedge blocking will be banned, and coverage players will be limited to 5-yard run-ups before the kick.

“This is a rule 100 percent based on player safety,” McKay said Monday. “We’ve seen higher rates of injuries than we are comfortable with and we’re trying to remedy it.

“I don’t think there’s any movement by any of us that the kickoff should come out of the game. So let’s make ... changes.”

Several coaches expressed concerns to the committee about so many changes. They worried that bringing touchbacks out 5 more yards would affect field position too much. They also fear an increase in touchbacks.

“I don’t blame anybody for saying this is a big change — it is,” McKay he said. “Nor do I blame anyone for pushing back. That’s good. ”

The suggestions began weeks ago, actually, coming not only from coaches and general managers, but from players. Last month at the combine in Indianapolis, players voiced those concerns, and McKay said video evidence of a rising rate of injury was alarming.

The league reduced the number of players allowed in a blocking wedge to two in 2009. Now, it wants the wedge gone altogether.

Owners will vote on the kickoff proposals and on amendments to defenseless player rules for receivers, and on allowing the replay official to review all scoring plays at any time.

As for replay, McKay said coaches complained of too much pressure when it came to challenging scoring plays, especially when they’re playing on the road and the play often quickly disappears from the videoboard.

“If there’s a doubt, we think the referee should review it,” McKay said.

Of 53 challenges last year on scoring plays, 21 were upheld, reversing the call.

Passing this rule change also would eliminate the third challenge a coach gets if he is successful on the first two. The third challenge was used only eight times last season.