Collective Bargaining Agreement - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: CBA, XFL, 49ers, Kittle

February 15th, 2020 at 9:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There apparently could be a CBA vote coming on Thursday, and we now know of an interesting new provision. The proposed CBA would change the way fifth-year options for first-round picks work, letting some top players cash in before they can get to free agency, sources told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “If a first-round pick makes it to the Pro Bowl twice in his first three seasons, the amount of the fifth-year option would spike to the franchise tag for his position,” Florio writes. The current system is a bit complicated, with players drafted in the top 10 getting the transition tag price for their position in their fifth years.

Players not drafted in the top 10 get even less. Obviously this would only apply to a narrow slice of players, but it would represent a big pay bump for some of the league’s elite players prior to hitting the open market. As Florio points out Jalen Ramsey, the fourth overall pick in 2016, is set to make $13.7MM in 2020, which is the transition tag price for cornerbacks. Under the new proposed system he would’ve been set to make $16.4MM due to hitting the Pro Bowl requirement. We just got another update on the proposed marijuana policy, and we should hear a lot more about the new CBA this week.

Here’s more from the football universe:

The XFL has received a fair amount of buzz, and things certainly appear to be better set up than they were for the ill-fated AAF. One way for them to get even more buzz would be to land a big name amateur player, and the league is keeping that option on the table. “We do have the ability to sign a college freshman or sophomore. …. We haven’t dipped our toe in that pond, but we could in the future,” XFL commissioner Oliver Luck said during a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, via Andrew Perloff (Twitter link). The XFL has had a fairly successful launch, but given that they currently aren’t even offering six-figure salaries, it’s still a bit hard to envision a top college player willingly departing the NCAA ranks.
We’ve heard that the 49ers plan to make an offseason extension for George Kittle a priority, and it probably can’t be overstated just how much Kittle is going to reset the market. The report from a couple of weeks ago was that Kittle’s floor would be around $13MM annually, and as former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry points out, the top of the market has been stuck at around $10MM annually for a while. Corry notes that Jimmy Graham became the first $10MM tight end all the way back in 2014, but that the market has been completely stagnant ever since. In Corry’s piece, which is well worth a read, he takes a look at how the salaries for the position are going to change big time around the league. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are about to be free agents, and several other big names are going to get new deals soon. It’ll be very interesting to see what number Kittle ends up getting.

Latest On NFL’s Marijuana Proposal

February 15th, 2020 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marijuana represents one of the key issues the NFL is targeting to entice the players to agree to a 17-game schedule, and with the CBA talks at a critical point, more details regarding the league’s plan to loosen marijuana restrictions have emerged.

The NFL’s latest CBA proposal would dramatically reduce the marijuana testing window from nearly four months to two weeks, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. This would apply to all players who are not already in the league’s substance-abuse program, which requires more frequent tests. The current testing window runs from late April to August.

It is not known when the two-week window would open and close, but slashing it down to two weeks would represent a significant change. The league in 2014 already raised the threshold for what it takes to be suspended for marijuana, and weed-based bans would be far less frequent considering the limited time players would have to test positive for the substance. And even if a player would test positive under these guidelines, suspensions would only occur in “extreme” cases, Florio adds.

Jerry Jones said in December he expects more leniency on the marijuana front, and the league last year commissioned a study that included the examination of weed as a pain-management tool. Recreational marijuana use is legal in 11 states; medical marijuana is permitted in 33. Seven teams — the Cowboys, Texans, Panthers, Titans, Falcons, Colts and Packers — play in states in which neither type of usage is legal, however.

Barely a month remains before the 2020 league year, the 17-game schedule poses as the top sticking point for the players. And the March election of a new NFLPA president is almost certainly prompting owners to push for the CBA’s finalization before that changeover. While an NFLPA vote is coming next week, the prospect of the extra game — likely without an extra bye — could force the players’ side to dig in for the long haul.

NFLPA To Hold CBA Vote?

February 14th, 2020 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday in Washington D.C., the NFLPA’s executive committee and player representatives may vote on a CBA proposal from the NFL’s owners, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the process will be further along by the end of next week, however.

Two key things to note: 1. The players will only consider a vote if the owners address a list of issues that they’ve submitted. 2. Even if the proposal is revised to satisfaction, this vote would only clear one hurdle on the way to a new CBA. If two-thirds of the player representatives say yes, it goes to the entire union body. If a simple majority vote in favor of it, it will go to the owners. In that final step, three-fourths of owners must say yes in order for the CBA to be ratified.

The current CBA doesn’t expire until March 2021, but the two sides want to hash out a new one by the start of the league year. This March will not mark a true deadline for talks, but without a fresh CBA, the possibility of a labor stoppage in 2021 increases.

The league’s owners want the ability to extend the regular season to 17 games. Many players are concerned about the safety issues that would arise from a longer season, but owners say they’re willing to give up a larger share of revenue if they receive and trigger that option. The union is also believed to be seeking relaxed rules against marijuana, something the owners seem willing to offer.

Latest On NFL CBA Negotiations

February 13th, 2020 at 8:59pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like the NFL and the NFLPA continue to make progress in their CBA negotiations. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports that the Players Association will be conducting a number of “membership-wide conference calls” between Thursday and Friday. The calls are intended to inform players about the status of the collective bargaining agreement.

There will be a call for each of the eight divisions, and every player was invited to participate (as opposed to the 32 individual team representatives). The union will provide updates about the current CBA offer, and they’ll likely inform the players about the voting procedures. As Graziano writes, the NFLPA requires a two-thirds vote by player representatives to proceed to the next step, when the entire league will vote. At that point, only majority is needed to pass the proposal on to the owners, and that final step requires a three-fourths vote.

The main component of the proposed 10-year CBA is the possibility of a 17-game regular season, which the NFL would want to implement between 2021 and 2023. The players are requiring a long list of concessions, including a revenue split, higher minimum contracts, and a revised drug policy (among other requests). As Graziano notes, players are weighing whether the current concessions are enough to warrant a 17-game season. There’s a chance that the players could propose a counter-offer with an increased number of concessions, and there’s also the possibility that the players refuse to give in to a 17-game schedule altogether.

The current CBA doesn’t expire until March 2021, but there is a tiny bit of urgency to complete a deal. Both sides want to finalize a CBA by the start of the league year, allowing them to implement the changes immediately. The NFL is also set to begin negotiations with broadcast partners, and those partners would prefer clarity on the “labor landscape” before agreeing to a new deal.

In the seemingly unlikely event that a CBA isn’t agreed to, negotiations will extend into next offseason. That scenario “raises the possibility of a work stoppage in 2021,” as Graziano writes.

Latest On NFL CBA Talks

February 7th, 2020 at 2:06pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, the NFLPA gathered in Los Angeles to discuss the owners’ latest proposal for the collective bargaining agreement. Although there is no true deadline for an agreement, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that there is some sense of urgency within the union to work out an accord. It’s expected that more meetings between the two sides, or at least internally for the NFLPA, will be scheduled for next week.

Some player representatives continue to be staunchly opposed to an expanded 17-game season, which is the foremost issue in the talks. Owners are looking for the new CBA to give them the option to add an extra game between 2021 and 2023. The proposal would boost the players’ cut from 47% of league revenue to 48.5%, a number that would inch even higher if the option is triggered.

The union is looking for ways to make the expanded season “more palatable for players,” Graziano reports. The owners’ say they’ll eliminate one preseason game for every regular season game that’s added. Meanwhile, their proposal still calls for only one bye week. In theory, we’d speculate that a compromise could include the addition of a second bye week, to give players additional in-season rest.

Both sides are aiming to get a new deal done in time for the start of the 2020 league year on March 18, Graziano hears. If that happens, the fresh CBA would supersede the final year of the existing one and take both sides through 2029.

Latest On CBA Negotiations

February 6th, 2020 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFLPA representatives met for eight hours on Thursday, union president Eric Winston confirmed (on Twitter). But no vote on the owners’ CBA proposal took place, Mike Jones of USA Today tweets.

A vote was not planned for Thursday, per Jones, who adds the belief as of now is ownership must further sweeten the pot for the players’ side to consider adding a game to the schedule. More meetings are on tap.

The subject of a deadline for the players to accept the offer has surfaced, but the reported “rough” March 18 date previously floated as a junction point in these proceedings may not be entirely accurate. Both NFLPA spokesman George Atallah and Steelers guard Ramon Foster refuted the notion of a March 18 deadline existing, and ESPN adjusted the report (via Pro Football Talk).

Nevertheless, March 18 is an important date; that’s the start of the 2020 league year. As it stands, final-CBA-year modifications — no post-June 1 cuts and the option of using both the franchise and transition tags among them — will go into place if no new agreement is in place. Given the vocal opposition to the owners’ 17-game proposal from the players’ side, and the prospect of 16-game proponent Russell Okung succeeding Winston as NFLPA president in March, the CBA discussions are entering a crucial stretch.

The owners’ proposal nearly wipes out punishment for positive marijuana tests, slightly ups the players’ revenue split and increases both the league minimum salaries and team spending floors. Unspecified adjustments to the franchise tag and fifth-year option are included as well. But the 17-game season is a sticking point. The owners’ rumored refusal to include a second bye week — a format attempted only once, in 1993 — may further entrench players against the proposal.

When the CBA does finally come to a vote, it will begin with the union’s 32 player representatives. With two-thirds approval, it would move to a union-wide vote among all players. After that, if 50% of players and two-thirds of owners say yes, it’s a done deal. The current CBA expires in March 2021.

NFLPA To Discuss NFL’s Latest Proposal

February 6th, 2020 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL Players Association will huddle up in Los Angeles on Thursday to discuss the owners’ latest proposal, as Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. The players are not expected to vote on the proposal, however, as many in the union are still against the idea of a 17-game season.

The owners are looking for an answer by the start of the new league year, on March 18th. If there’s no deal by that date, Graziano hears that talks are “likely to be tabled indefinitely.” That may, or may not, be a real deadline. In reality, neither side wants to chance the possibility of a labor stoppage when the current collective bargaining agreement lapses.

When the CBA does finally come to a vote, it will begin with the union’s 32 player representatives. With two-thirds approval, it would move to a union-wide vote among all players. After that, if 50% of players and two-thirds of owners say yes, it’s a done deal.

The owners’ latest pitch would establish a new ten-year CBA and increase the players’ cut of revenue from 47% to 48.5%. If an extra regular season game is tacked on starting in 2021, that percentage would increase for players. In the owners’ proposed CBA, they’d have the option to expand the season anywhere between 2021 and 2023.

Many players – including vocal figures like offensive tackle Russell Okung – have been against the addition of another game for safety reasons. At one point, the proposed 17-game season was set to include an extra bye week for recovery – at last check, the owners were looking to have just one bye week per year while dropping one of the league’s four preseason games. Meanwhile, the postseason would expand from 12 teams to 14.

The owners’ proposed CBA would have upsides for players, however – one source tells ESPN that the uptick in revenue could result in an additional $5 billion paid to players over the course of ten years. It also includes relaxed rules regarding marijuana, higher minimum spending floors for clubs, and other perks that the union has been seeking.

Latest On CBA Talks, 17-Game Season

February 5th, 2020 at 6:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Feb 5: All 32 player reps will meet Thursday to further consider the proposed CBA, per Maske (via Twitter). Reiterating his report from February 2, Maske says that a vote is possible, but not definite.

Feb 2: ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report that the NFLPA will convene again after the Super Bowl to vote on the 17-game schedule. They describe the vote as a “make-or-break” development for the new CBA, because the league owners want to get something done asap and are prepared to table their proposal and play out the 2020 season without a new deal in place, which would dramatically heighten the possibility of a work stoppage in 2021.

Because the negotiations to date have been based on a 17-game schedule, Mike Florio of Pro Football suggests that it may be too late for the players to back out of that plan unless they are prepared for a stoppage. But Mortensen and Schefter note that the owners are willing to make a number of concessions — including changes to the drug policy, on-field discipline fine schedule, and greater cash spending minimums for teams — and the players may be warming to the 17-game plan.

A longer season would likely commence in 2021, though an increased revenue share for the players would kick in immediately.

Meanwhile, Mark Maske of the Washington Post says it’s not certain a vote will take place in the coming days. But if it does, and if two-thirds of player reps approve the 17-game CBA, it will go to all players for a ratification vote (Twitter links).

Feb 1: Updates on the status of the collective bargaining agreement continue to emerge. Here are the latest details coming out of the Miami-based discussions:

Like the CBA the 2011 talks produced, this next one would run for 10 years, Judy Battista of NFL.com tweets. However, the next agreement would run through the 2030 season — even if it is agreed to before the 2020 slate. Some of the benefits agreed to in this deal, though, would start immediately, per Battista. The current CBA expires in March 2021.
Shifting to the main talking point of these CBA discussions, the potential debut of a 17-game season continues to be delayed. After a report pointed to the expanded schedule moving back to at least 2021, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes that the likely start date of a 17-game schedule would be 2022 (video link). This would be aimed at coinciding with the new TV deals, per Rapoport. Most of the league’s TV contracts run through 2022. The CBA also may not mandate a start time for the 17-game slate, with Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com relaying that the owners’ latest proposal gives the NFL the option of pushing the schedule to 17 games at some point over the life of the deal. This would then become a bargaining chip for the league with networks.
Concern has, however, emerged on both sides that the 17-game component to these talks could nix a near-future deal, per Graziano and Fowler. Many players have spoken out against the 17-game season, which would be even less appealing for the players now that the once-rumored double-bye format is not believed to be a part of the new setup. Russell Okung‘s potential election as the next NFLPA president in March would stand to further waylay a 17-game season, as the Chargers offensive lineman is against lengthening the season.
Another aspect of these talks: the funding rule. Owners have used the decades-old rule — which stipulates teams must put guaranteed money in a league escrow account upon authorizing a contract — as a reason to limit guarantees. But with this rule implemented in a different era, when some of the league’s teams were not nearly as financially stable as they are today, players are aiming to remove it in the next CBA.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

No Post June-1 Cuts In 2020

January 31st, 2020 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

The post-June 1 designation is a key tool for NFL teams in the offseason. In short: it enables teams to spread out the dead money cap hit that comes with releasing a player and divvies it up across two years, instead of one.

As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes, that option won’t be available for teams this offseason, because that provision is not included in this tenth and final year of the current collective bargaining agreement. So, unless the NFL and NFLPA quickly agree to a new CBA, teams won’t be able to kick the can down the road when they release veterans.

The lack of a post-June 1 cut will be felt by every team in the league and could impact the futures of many notable players. Corry points to Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery as a prime example – under the post-June 1 rules, the $26.1MM in dead money that would result from a Jeffery release could be split between the 2020 and 2021 cap. Without that luxury, the Eagles would have to eat all of that dead money this year. So, unless the Eagles are extraordinarily desperate to get rid of Jeffery, they’re unlikely to cut him.

At this time, it sounds like the two sides have a long way to go before they can hash out a new CBA. Currently, they’re discussing an expanded 17-game season that would still only include one bye week. That probably won’t sit well with many of the players, even if the owners agree to give a larger share of revenue.

Latest On NFL’s CBA Talks

January 31st, 2020 at 11:07am CST by Zachary Links

The prospect of a 17-game season remains at the center of CBA talks between the NFL and the NFLPA. However, the expanded regular season might not include two bye weeks, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets.

Nothing is finalized – or even close to it – but Breer hears that the 17-game season being discussed would include a three-game preseason, a lighter load in training camp, a revamped offseason calendar, and still only one bye week per team. It’s a departure from the last update we heard: the two sides were reportedly mulling an extra bye to offset the extra wear-and-tear on players.

With an odd number of games, the additional contest would likely occur on a neutral site. It remains to be seen how the league would organize the new schedule, or whether the extra game would be inter- or intra-conference. For what it’s worth, the owners seem confident that the 17th game will happen.

The expanded season is just one of many issues at stake in the new CBA. Players want at least 48% of the revenue and the owners’ latest offer pushed the split close to that threshold. In order to get a bigger piece of the pie, the players will likely have to agree to the extra game or play hardball. Some figures in the union, like NFLPA presidential candidate and veteran offensive lineman Russell Okung, are in favor of Option B.

“Are we in an equitable agreement with management?” Okung said. “Right now, the answer is no. This will take as long as it needs to…I expect more, and I’m not willing to be bashful about saying that. I’ve made it really clear we need to exhaust every single opportunity we have in order to put our players in a better situation to take care of themselves, their families and to protect the future of this game.”

Collective Bargaining Agreement News & Rumors