12:15pm: The NFL is now considering moving the deadline for teams to apply franchise and/or transition tags to players, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The new league year beginning March 18, however, will not move, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
12:00pm: The NFLPA will give its full union body more time to vote on this CBA proposal. The union’s board voted to delay the deadline two days. Players will now have until 10:59pm CT Saturday to vote on the proposal. Votes were previously due at 10:59pm Thursday.
This comes as the union is set to elect its next president. Russell Okung, a vocal opponent of the 17-game schedule included in this CBA, is the only confirmed candidate. But others could be nominated Monday. The union will elect its next leader Tuesday.
A number of players wanted the union to produce a side-by-side comparison of this CBA proposal compared to 2011’s, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, helping to explain the delay. If more than 50% of players vote to ratify, the CBA will pass and be in place for 10 years.
This will also cloud NFL business. Teams have until 3pm CT Thursday to place franchise or transition tags on players. The league moved the tag deadline back from March 10 to March 12 but opted against pushing the tag window back again. But with the CBA vote now pushed to a date after the franchise-transition window’s closing, it is fair to wonder if the NFL will adjust its calendar again as well. Teams could use both tags but would have to rescind one if the players ratify the CBA.
Both NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and outgoing president Eric Winston (via Peter King of NBC Sports) expect it to pass. But this delay, and the prospect of Okung succeeding Winston, could cloud such optimism. Because of the enormous reach CBA opponents Aaron Rodgers, J.J. Watt, Russell Wilson and other stars have, Breer notes the large sect of league-minimum players are not automatically expected to vote to ratify the CBA — even if it’s in that group’s best interest. The vote is expected to be close, Breer adds.