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NFL owners, union close in on deal
SEAN JENSEN ON THE NFL
Updated: July 16, 2011 9:55PM
For weeks, there have been assorted — and often conflicting — reports that NFL owners and players were nearing a labor agreement.
But after another round of negotiations Friday in New York, there was universal optimism that the sides were inching toward a conclusion, and league executives are preparing for pandemonium before the preseason.
“The discussions this week have been constructive, and progress has been made on a wide range of issues,” the NFL and the NFL Players Association said in a joint statement. “Our legal and financial teams will continue to work through the weekend.
“We will continue to respect the confidentiality orders of Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan and will therefore refrain from commenting on specific issues or aspects of the negotiations. We will provide additional information as developments in this process continue.”
On Thursday, after months of back and forth, the owners and players finally settled on how to split $9 billion in revenue, and they addressed several other points of contention, including a modified rookie salary structure. According to NFL.com, the major key was related to player safety and related *issues, including the offseason program.
Ultimately, players and owners will be thrilled if they can consummate a collective-bargaining agreement without losing any games. The Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7 between the Bears and St. Louis Rams figures to be a casualty. But owners — and even employees — of both teams won’t be too distraught about losing one game.
Either way, there will be little time for anyone associated with the NFL to celebrate.
General managers and personnel evaluators will have to cram months of offseason work into weeks, initiating what’s sure to be one of the most frenzied periods in recent memory.
After the sides come to an agreement in principle, attorneys will need to finalize language, and owners and players will have to approve the deal. Agents and team executives will be apprised of the new rules, and teams will have to adjust accordingly, via contract restructurings and outright releases, to get below the projected salary cap of $123 million.
On the flip side, a handful of teams on the other end of the spectrum — such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals — will have to figure out how to splurge to reach the salary floor, which could be $110 million.
At this juncture, assuming the salary cap is $123 million, the Bears will have to be among the spenders; they’re projected to be at least $30 million under. Teams also will have to sign undrafted free agents and drafted rookies.
One league source said the expectation is that teams with new coaching staffs might be among the most aggressive at the onset of free agency as they try to add players who suit their style.
This might be the offseason to do it because it could be a buyer’s market.
In fact, another source said many of the free agents might be inclined to re-sign with their current teams for one year to distinguish themselves and try to strike a rich deal next offseason.
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Heard a report that said next thurs the owners have a regularly scheduled meeting and hope/plan to ratify the agreement then. It'd be nice to get to some real football talk.
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No matter what this upcoming FA period is gonna get crazy. It's very unpredictable yet as to who will become UFA's and with several teams far below the cash cap the bidding for the top players may get intense.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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All the posturing and BS that goes into "negotiations" is maddening; all of this could have been hammered out mo's ago. Also heard this will be a 10 yr deal w/the option to renegotiate the 18 game schedule after 2 yrs. Guarantee the side w/the shittier end of this deal is going to force this thing done about 6 years into the deal.
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Originally Posted by
Riczaj01 
All the posturing and BS that goes into "negotiations" is maddening; all of this could have been hammered out mo's ago. Also heard this will be a 10 yr deal w/the option to renegotiate the 18 game schedule after 2 yrs. Guarantee the side w/the shittier end of this deal is going to force this thing done about 6 years into the deal.
You're right Ric. Where they are now at least as far as the revenue sharing and the cap isn't much different from where they were in March. It seems the main differenced on the revenue sharing thing is that the owners dropped their demand for something off the top and the players reduced their share of the take to 48%.
The actual $$$ in everyone's pocket is about the same but the players have a better upside over the life of the deal which is what they were after. By dropping the deal about taking $2 bil off the top the owners avoided that charade over opening the books and everyone supposedly seems happy with that part of the deal. The rest of the stuff has been batted around and they seem close to an agreement and with the preseason hanging in the balance I think we all believe they'll get a deal done.
Althoug it probably will be a 10 year deal I can see language included that provides outs on either side and you know that 18 game regular season will be back on the table within two years. They'll all walk away grinning now but after a while one side or the other will think they got screwed and we'll see another battle. I can't believe we'll see 10 years of peace either.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Having the cap room to go shopping for some big time FA's and an already stellar lineup on the defensive side.... I'm thinking we get another Linemen or WR to play with before it's all said and done. possibly both being 30 mil under the mark.
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Originally Posted by
GrizzlyBear91 Having the cap room to go shopping for some big time FA's and an already stellar lineup on the defensive side.... I'm thinking we get another Linemen or WR to play with before it's all said and done. possibly both being 30 mil under the mark.
We know what the plan should be so let's just hope they do or are willing to consult with us if in doubt, LOL. 
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman We know what the plan
should be so let's just hope they do or are willing to consult with us if in doubt, LOL.
Gentlemen, meet the boss.
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Originally Posted by
Dagan81 Gentlemen, meet the boss.
He was a baseball player though. Can he run a football team.
Bruce Springsteen's Little League Baseball Teammate Subject Of 1984 Hit 'Glory Days'
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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