NFL Lockout Thread

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:22 pm

Tom-- Do you have any idea how FA will work once the deal gets done?

Will it start the next day? A week later? how long will it last? A day? Three days, or two weeks?

They really dont have much time to do all this.

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 1:48 am

Ahhhh I was waiting for this........cold water follow up the next day....

“Right of first refusal” for free agents still a hanging issue
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 15, 2011, 8:40 AM EDT
Hank Williams Jr. AP

With the rookie salary cap essentially in place, the NFL and NFLPA* can move on to other issues when they reconvene Friday morning. One of the trickiest items still on the table remains the concept of right of first refusal idea for this year’s free agent class.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post and the Breer/La Canfora team from NFL.com both write that the owners are still seeking the right of first refusal for up to three free agents for 2011.

NFL.com calls it an issue on which “the players won’t relent.” (And they shouldn’t.)

Perhaps ownership is still just using it as a bargaining chip, hoping to get something back for giving the issue up. (Florio believes that’s the case.) It appeared that it was the ownership’s turn to relent on closing the rookie wage scale, and that happened on Thursday.

We can only hope for Friday to bring similar progress.
____________________________

What I find odd about this is how only one issue would get solved per day throughout.

Why couldnt they solve 2-3 issue per day?

The slow grind it out one issue at a time one day at a time pace is unbelievable.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:03 am

Originally posted by W. Klown:
Tom-- Do you have any idea how FA will work once the deal gets done?

Will it start the next day? A week later? how long will it last? A day? Three days, or two weeks?

They really dont have much time to do all this. It looks like NFL teams will have a 72-hour window to sign their own free agents once the deal is ratified and then it's open season for free agents. This could be the wildest two week period in NFL history, with 450+ free agents needing contracts. This should be awesome.

An interesting part of the agreement is that there is a higher minimum salary cap for teams now, which means that teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals need to start raising their salary totals. ESPN said that Tampa Bay has $63 million in payroll thus far and will need to spend another $57 million to reach the salary cap level. That means they are being FORCED to improve their team via free agency or with long-term contracts to current players. Should be fun to watch how they do that.

Get ready. Next week could be the start of your NFL scouting season.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:07 am

Originally posted by W. Klown:
Ahhhh I was waiting for this........cold water follow up the next day....

“Right of first refusal” for free agents still a hanging issue
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 15, 2011, 8:40 AM EDT
Hank Williams Jr. AP

With the rookie salary cap essentially in place, the NFL and NFLPA* can move on to other issues when they reconvene Friday morning. One of the trickiest items still on the table remains the concept of right of first refusal idea for this year’s free agent class.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post and the Breer/La Canfora team from NFL.com both write that the owners are still seeking the right of first refusal for up to three free agents for 2011.

NFL.com calls it an issue on which “the players won’t relent.” (And they shouldn’t.)

Perhaps ownership is still just using it as a bargaining chip, hoping to get something back for giving the issue up. (Florio believes that’s the case.) It appeared that it was the ownership’s turn to relent on closing the rookie wage scale, and that happened on Thursday.

We can only hope for Friday to bring similar progress.
____________________________

What I find odd about this is how only one issue would get solved per day throughout.

Why couldnt they solve 2-3 issue per day?

The slow grind it out one issue at a time one day at a time pace is unbelievable. The owners shouldn't make this a big issue at this point. Remember, they had plenty of time to sign their own free agents before the lockout started and they will still have a 72-hour window to sign their free agents before they hit the market. So if they really want to retain their own players, why do they need to match another team's offer? Just sign your guy NOW. And by allowing this, few teams will make aggressive bids knowing that the old team can just match the offer.

This is another silly request by the owners and hopefully it gets shot down today and we can move on to more important matters.

We all want a deal done ASAP. It's Day 122 for crying out loud. Let's wrap this up and PLAY BALL!!

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:53 am

Adam Schefter Tweeting that we shouldn't have to worry about this idiocy again anytime soon. OK, I added the "idiocy" part.

AdamSchefter Adam Schefter
If and when the two sides finalize a deal, the new CBA will be 7 to 10 years. Good. Don't want to hear about this again until at least 2018.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:57 am

Originally posted by Tom Kessenich:
Adam Schefter Tweeting that we shouldn't have to worry about this idiocy again anytime soon. OK, I added the "idiocy" part.

AdamSchefter Adam Schefter
If and when the two sides finalize a deal, the new CBA will be 7 to 10 years. Good. Don't want to hear about this again until at least 2018. GREAT NEWS!! Make this a 10-year deal and let's be done with this lunacy (I went one better than you in the crazy department). This deal seems fair for both sides and the game should be allowed to grow now throughout this CBA. Fortunately no games were lost because of it and hopefully the season can be saved. But I have to agree with most folks, the product is going to be pretty shoddy in Weeks 1-4 and I feel bad for teams like Carolina who have new head coaches, new offensive coordinators and new defensive coordinators. There is no way they are going to be successful this season with a few weeks to install everything. Good luck there.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 4:18 am

Sounds like we're getting closer. Via Albert Breer on Twitter:

AlbertBreer Albert Breer
Filed to NFL Network: Outside of some ancillary details, the economics of a deal between the players and owners are done.

AlbertBreer Albert Breer
There are still plenty of other hoops for the sides to jump through, and important issues like the Legacy Fund, player safety left to cover.

AlbertBreer Albert Breer
But getting the finances to the right place is, of course, a pretty big deal. It seems they've done that.

[ July 15, 2011, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Tom Kessenich ]

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:12 am

These negotiations were so important to Pat Bowlen he took a trip to Hawaii....

The nerve of some of these guys amazes me.

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:14 am

First these knuckleheads in the room have to agree.

Then they have to take it back to their own camps to vote on it.

Nothing is going to be finalized today so we are onto next week.

Hopefully each side votes next week and approves it.

Until then, nothing changes.

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:29 am

Seems like.....

Mon: Finalize wording / Details

Tues: Meet with Judge (If hes back from vacation...lol)

Thurs: Owners vote on approval of deal.

Fri: Players vote on approval of deal

MONDAY, JULY 25th........FREE AGENCY BEGINS!

We shall see........