NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes that the league is destined to expand the regular season once again, from 17 games to 18, calling the move the next “logical step.”

The league expanded from 16 regular season games to 17 regular season games in March 2021, which cut the preseason from four games to three.

Goodell says that he would like to keep things within the 20 game framework for regular season and preseason, so expect the next step in league scheduling to be 18 regular season games and two preseason games.

“We would keep within the 20-game framework,” Goodell told Bloomberg. “We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.”

Any extension of the regular season prior to the next collective bargaining agreement would have to be agreed to by the NFL Players Association before institution. It remains to be seen if the players would support such a measure.

Goodell noted that the 17-game regular season schedule has not increased the number of injuries across the league. That’s important, because the safety of the players will certainly be at the forefront for the NFLPA as they review the possibility of regular season expansion.