With NFL Owners and Players set to meet again today, what's on the agenda?

Search

New member
Joined
Jul 20, 2002
Messages
75,154
Tokens
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, various league officials and several owners are expected to kick off two days of meetings with the locked-out players and (decertified) union chief DeMaurice Smith on Wednesday near Boston just 24 hours after all 32 owners were briefed on the progress of collective bargaining negotiations (no votes were taken nor proposals submitted).

View attachment 12431

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell..

"We're going to meet with them soon, and we're eager to accelerate the pace of the negotiations," said NFL lead negotiatior Jeff Pash.

Though a resolution to the nearly 15-week-old impasse does not yet appear imminent, potential parameters of a framework for a new CBA may be coming to light.

"We have a lot of work to do and we've got to do it right," said Goodell. "The agreement has to focus on several issues, and the issues are complex. It must be done in a way that is fair to the players and a way that is fair to the clubs."

Among the issues where such equanimity has yet to be pinpointed:

1. How much of the league's $9 billion (and seemingly growing) revenue will the players see? Under the previous CBA, they received 59.6% of "designated revenues" after the owners took a $1 billion cut for operating expenses and such. Moving forward, the players could get something in the neighborhood of 48% of the total monetary pie (one that won't be sliced up first) -- potentially giving them a static percentage of expanding revenues while the owners recoup some of the ground many felt was surrendered in the previous CBA signed in 2006.

2. Free agency eligibility: In 2009, a player with an expired contract needed at least four years of NFL service before he could hit the open market; in 2010, he needed six when the final year of the former CBA triggered a dissolution of the salary cap.
Determining free-agent requirements will affect players like Jets WR Santonio Holmes (five years of service) and Panthers DE Charles Johnson (four), who played out their contracts in 2010. Franchise tags -- currently attached to megastars like QBs Peyton Manning and Michael Vick -- might also be challenged.

3. Drug testing: Players have long resisted blood tests which screen for such substances as human growth hormone, but it's an area where they may have to cave.

4. Could lower-revenue clubs pinch pennies? Apparently not, as The Associated Press reports that all teams could have to spend at least 90% of each season's predetermined salary cap budget rather than bank some bucks at the expense of player procurement.

5. Rookie wage scale: The first 16 picks of recent drafts (which contain roughly 250 incoming players) have raked in the lion's share of the rookie salary pool. Goodell would like to see it more evenly distributed while diverting some of the rookie allotment to proven veterans.

6. Health benefits: Just before the lockout took effect in March, owners were offering current players lifetime medical plans and were ready to write an $82 million check to ease the struggles of many former players, who have raised their collective voice in pursuit of better benefits. (this needs to be done IMHO - wil.).

7. Season length: The proposal of an 18-game regular season is still out there, though the owners seemed to back off it in March. But they were willing to reduce the number of offseason OTA sessions and grant more off days to players in season, perhaps a good medical and PR move given the rising visibility of the NFL's concussion conundrum.

8. TV considerations: With current network packages up for bidding in the coming years, finding a way to swell broadcast contracts like bloated ticks could be in the offing. Remember when ESPN and TNT used to share Sunday night games? A similar format could be applied by implementing a season-long Thursday night schedule -- NFL Network currently airs Thursday games in the second half of the regular season -- thus creating yet another lucrative windfall while further expanding the league's visibility.


And there are plenty more issues to discuss, dissect, negotiate and haggle over ... meaning a settlement by July 4 could still be a glass-half-full scenario.


USA Today
 

Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
15,450
Tokens
as the longest lockout in NFL history looks to be coming to an end....

it is clear that Goodell has made the case to the owners this is the deal....

Once they vote & approve it,....

absolute chaos over free agents will begin among the teams....

A once in a lifetime blizzard of roster activity,....

so many impact FA's that could immediately change the balance.....

If the Texans can sign Asomugha,.....lookout.....

going to be an interesting FA storm of action,....likely to take place over a 24-48 hour period
 

Johnboy
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
862
Tokens
as the longest lockout in NFL history looks to be coming to an end....

it is clear that Goodell has made the case to the owners this is the deal....

Once they vote & approve it,....

absolute chaos over free agents will begin among the teams....

A once in a lifetime blizzard of roster activity,....

so many impact FA's that could immediately change the balance.....

If the Texans can sign Asomugha,.....lookout.....

going to be an interesting FA storm of action,....likely to take place over a 24-48 hour period

Now could be a hell of a time to grab some futures at longshot odds to win division/conference/SB. As you said, FA signings will change the whole scope of some teams. Just some food for thought
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,106,144
Messages
13,433,390
Members
99,280
Latest member
dukes007
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com