Expect floodgate to open on transactions
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, left, and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, right, speak to the media outside of the Ritz-Carlton hotel after addressing players during the NFLPA rookie symposium in Sarasota, Fla. (June 29, 2011) Credit: AP
After nearly four months of having its doors shuttered, the NFL is close to being back to business as usual. Barring an unexpected collapse of negotiations, the league and players could decide on a new collective-bargaining agreement early this week, with the formality of approval from the owners and players to follow in the coming days.
A federal mediator, Judge Arthur Boylan, is expected to meet early this week with the two sides, with a handful of issues left to hash out, including settlement of antitrust litigation, player safety, and the minimum amount teams must spend in cash per year.
"There are still some important things to go over," a person with knowledge of the negotiations said last night.
Nevertheless, a sense of optimism remains, and a deal appears within reach.
So what's next if there's an agreement this week? Plenty.
Making up for an offseason that featured mostly acrimonious charges and countercharges, as well as a flurry of legal challenges by both sides, the calendar will feature a highly condensed signing period for veteran free agents, as well as drafted and undrafted players from this year's rookie class.
For the Jets, Giants and the league's 30 other teams, there will be a transactional torrent like never before. Here's what to expect:
Lawyers have been dotting the i's and crossing the t's the last several days in an attempt to have a new CBA written in time for owners to approve the deal at a Thursday meeting in Atlanta. But the two sides must present terms of the deal to Boylan, who will not only look over the CBA, but oversee the settlement of an antitrust lawsuit brought by 10 named plaintiffs against the league.
As long as a deal is set by Thursday, owners are expected to approve the pact in Atlanta. A minimum of 24 of the league's 32 teams must sign off on the deal. Meanwhile, players are expected to have a vote to re-form their union once the CBA is agreed on by negotiators. The players had opted to decertify as a union on March 11, the same day the antitrust lawsuit was filed. To agree on a new contract, the union must be re-formed, followed by a CBA vote.
Once the approvals are in place, things will move quickly. Players under contract will be permitted to return to their teams, perhaps by Friday if there are no hang-ups earlier in the week. At that point, the league would have a brief period -- expected to last three days -- during which teams can sign their own players whose contracts expired after last season. Teams can also sign their draft picks in that window, and for several days afterward.
The Jets and Giants have several unrestricted free agents. For the Jets, wide receivers Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith, cornerback Antonio Cromartie, defensive end Shaun Ellis, and defensive backs Eric Smith, Drew Coleman and Brodney Pool are unsigned. Linebacker David Harris has been designated as the team's franchise player, and is expected to re-sign.
The Giants' free agents include running back Ahmad Bradshaw, wide receiver Steve Smith, tight end Kevin Boss, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, defensive tackle Barry Cofield, and defensive end Dave Tollefson.
Once the signing period for teams' own free agents ends, unrestricted free agency would be opened for what likely will be a five-day period. Undrafted free agents can also be signed. Among the most notable unrestricted free agents: CB Nnamdi Asomugha (Raiders), G Logan Mankins (Patriots), and RBs Joseph Addai (Colts), Ronnie Brown (Dolphins) and Cedric Benson (Bengals). The trading period would also begin at the start of free agency.
Shortly after the free-agency signing period ends, training camps would begin to open around the league.
