According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the NFL and NFLPA are expected to resume formal CBA bargaining sessions in the next few weeks.
While there is still significant progress that needs to be made in negotiations, the NFL’s goal is to agree to a new CBA before the end of the season.
The league will be approaching the networks about extending their TV deals as soon as December and being able to promise no strike or lockout would enhance their position in those negotiations.
While the two sides have not met formally since late August, there have been staff meetings where progress has been made on secondary issues like changes to the fifth-year option to make it less restrictive and softening the NFL’s marijuana policy.
The main battle in negotiations will still be the players seeking to expand their share of the revenue while the owners seek to expand the regular season and playoffs. The owners have reportedly ditched their pursuit of an 18-game regular season in favor of 17 games.
The two sides have also reached tentative agreements on a number of issues including benefits, raising minimum salaries, former player healthcare, workplace rules and how grievances are handled.
No firm date has been set for the next formal bargaining session, but NFLPA boss DeMaurice Smith will finish his tour of all 32 teams on October 10. The NFL’s fall owners meetings are scheduled for October 15 and 16.
The current CBA is set to expire following the 2020 season. The NFL and NFLPA have had monthly negotiation meetings since April and the tenor around negotiations is much different than the last CBA talks in 2011 when the owners locked out the players.
The owners have a March 2020 deadline to agree to a new CBA before specific contract and salary cap rules kick in, including the lack of June 1 release designations and the ability of teams to use both the franchise and transition tags to keep players off the free-agent market.
Some issues expected to come up are an 18-game regular season or expanded 14-team playoffs, a reduced preseason, changes to the NFL’s marijuana policy and potentially limiting commissioner Roger Goodell‘s authority in player discipline.
We’ll have more regarding CBA negotiations as the news is available.
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