The NFL often instructs on-field officials to focus on particular points of emphasis ahead of the season and this year’s focus is going to be on illegal contact fouls by defensive players.
A league spokesperson told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com that they have asked officials to pay closer attention to those fouls. Defensive players are prohibited from contacting receivers more than five yards off the line of scrimmage while the quarterback has the ball and is in the pocket. It is a 5-yard penalty and results in an automatic first down.