As NFL owners, officials and players meet for a second consecutive day of collective bargaining negotiations near Boston, NFL Network is reporting that they've reached a "critical day" and could be within "striking distance" of a compromise.
ISSUES: What's on the agenda
ANALYST: 'Situation is fragile'
"They've made more progress over the last month than they did over the previous two years, and that's got everybody feeling pretty optimistic about where we are right now," said NFLN correspondent Albert Breer, who's been following the lockout doggedly since it began March 12. "As of right now, the feeling's pretty positive."
And today's session could result in more good vibes.
It "seems like everybody feels like a deal is within striking distance and today has become a very critical day," said Breer, who said there is "still some negotiating" to pin down the distribution of revenue between the parties while they tackle another hot-button topic today.
"They'll be discussing the rookie salary scale -- in depth -- for the first time in this set of meetings," said Breer. "A lot of people will feel awfully good if they can get past the rookie thing."
He also cited the impact that DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFLPA (which decertified when the lockout went into effect) has had on brokering a settlement even as the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals mulls a ruling on the lockout.
"Over the last month, DeMaurice Smith has earned the owners' trust in a very, very big way, and that has been key to getting this thing going in the last four weeks," Breer said of Smith's impact on "bridging the trust gap."
Still, despite such optimism, it could still be a while before a new league year begins as final details are determined, 'T's are crossed, 'I's dotted and lawyers vet the pact.
"If we can get through the next couple days," said Breer, "and negotiations keep going forward, we should have a deal within a month -- that's not to say that we're at the point now where we're not gonna have any more hiccups."
At least one player also sounds somewhat upbeat.
"Through our player reps, things sound really good," Rams wide receiver Mark Clayton said. "From the players' perspective, we're kind of set with what we want.
"We pretty much agreed to what our (union) was fighting for on our behalf. It sounds like a lot of what we asked for, apart from the finances, they've been able to agree upon. At that point, we're just kind of waiting to get the final say-so and just roll it out," free agent WR Mark Clayton told The Associated Press.
Nate Davis USA Today
ISSUES: What's on the agenda
ANALYST: 'Situation is fragile'
"They've made more progress over the last month than they did over the previous two years, and that's got everybody feeling pretty optimistic about where we are right now," said NFLN correspondent Albert Breer, who's been following the lockout doggedly since it began March 12. "As of right now, the feeling's pretty positive."
And today's session could result in more good vibes.
It "seems like everybody feels like a deal is within striking distance and today has become a very critical day," said Breer, who said there is "still some negotiating" to pin down the distribution of revenue between the parties while they tackle another hot-button topic today.
"They'll be discussing the rookie salary scale -- in depth -- for the first time in this set of meetings," said Breer. "A lot of people will feel awfully good if they can get past the rookie thing."
He also cited the impact that DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFLPA (which decertified when the lockout went into effect) has had on brokering a settlement even as the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals mulls a ruling on the lockout.
"Over the last month, DeMaurice Smith has earned the owners' trust in a very, very big way, and that has been key to getting this thing going in the last four weeks," Breer said of Smith's impact on "bridging the trust gap."
Still, despite such optimism, it could still be a while before a new league year begins as final details are determined, 'T's are crossed, 'I's dotted and lawyers vet the pact.
"If we can get through the next couple days," said Breer, "and negotiations keep going forward, we should have a deal within a month -- that's not to say that we're at the point now where we're not gonna have any more hiccups."
At least one player also sounds somewhat upbeat.
"Through our player reps, things sound really good," Rams wide receiver Mark Clayton said. "From the players' perspective, we're kind of set with what we want.
"We pretty much agreed to what our (union) was fighting for on our behalf. It sounds like a lot of what we asked for, apart from the finances, they've been able to agree upon. At that point, we're just kind of waiting to get the final say-so and just roll it out," free agent WR Mark Clayton told The Associated Press.
Nate Davis USA Today
