The NFL plans to unveil a new personal conduct policy in the near future, but it doesn’t seem as though the NFLPA is entirely on board. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, the union is refusing to enter negotiations regarding the revised protocol unless the talks occur under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Despite that assertion, Pelissero writes that the two parties have met at least four times to discuss the policy. Furthering the disagreement, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, is the fact that the league wants commissioner Roger Goodell to retain total control over the disciplinary process — the NFLPA, meanwhile, prefers a neutral third party to handle such issues. Here’s more from around the league…
- Appearing during halftime of Monday Night Football, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Adrian Peterson‘s appeal of his suspension could end up in federal court (Twitter link via Mortensen’s colleague, Kevin Seifert). If the NFLPA decides that the hearing officer isn’t entirely nonpartisan, it could attempt to push the Viking running back’s case to a more high-profile arena. While such a move would appear drastic given that there are just four games remaining in the regular season, one of Peterson’s aims would surely be to recoup the $4MM+ base salary he’s set to lose.
- Jaguars right tackle Austin Pasztor is expected to miss the remainder of the season after injuring his hamstring in Sunday’s win against the Giants, John Oehser of Jaguars.com writes. Pasztor, a CFL transplant in his second NFL season, missed the first four games of 2014 after breaking his hand. The 24-year-old will be a free agent after the season.
- The Eagles’ forays into free agency were nearly perfect, argues Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mark Sanchez, signed to a one-year deal worth $2.25MM, could be the top free agent bargain, and safety Malcolm Jenkins has added a veteran presence to a young secondary. Lesser-known additions such as offensive lineman Andrew Gardner and defensive back Chris Maragos have also worked out well, writes McLane, as the pickups have bolstered Philadelphia’s depth.