WASHINGTON -- Things still are standing in the way of NFL labor peace. The issue of placating the named plaintiffs in the Brady antitrust lawsuit no longer is one, for now.
Requests for concessions for numerous players -- including but not limited to San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson and New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins -- remained earlier in the week. But Jackson and Mankins appear to have dropped their demands, leaving less standing in the way of a new collective bargaining agreement that would end the four-month-old NFL lockout.
A source involved said Saturday that some of the unresolved issues involve injury protection, workers' compensation, opt-out rights for players and the process for finalizing benefits, discipline and drug-testing agreements, which can't be made binding until after the NFL Players Association recertifies as a union.
A league source told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi that league owners are expected to have a conference call Saturday to discuss the outstanding issues.
Wyche: Four areas of agreementNFLPA lawyers and officials are digesting the league's proposal for a new CBA this weekend, and NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Friday that no vote on ratification was imminent. Some player reps have advised their teammates that it could take several days for the NFLPA to agree to terms with the league and begin the union recertification process. Of course, that could change if major gains are made in negotiations.
The major economic framework for a 10-year deal was worked out a week ago. That included how the $9 billion-plus in annual league revenues will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011 -- and at least that in 2012 and 2013 -- plus about $22 million in benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and league owners expressed hope Thursday night that their 31-0 vote -- the Oakland Raiders abstained -- to approve the proposed CBA would lead to a speedy resolution to the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987. They called it an equitable deal that improves player safety and allows the sport to prosper even more.
"It is time to get back to football," Goodell said.
But even when players decide they're OK with a final agreement, their approval process is more complicated than the owners' was. The 32 player reps will have to recommend accepting the settlement. Then the 10 named plaintiffs -- including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- in the players' suit against the league must officially inform the court of their approval.
Eventually, all 1,900 players would take a majority vote to approve returning the NFLPA to union status. When talks broke down in March, allowing the old collective bargaining agreement to expire, the players dissolved the union, turning the NFLPA into a trade association. That's what allowed the players to sue the owners in federal court under antitrust law.
The issue of how and when the NFLPA would reform as a union remains paramount. There is a difference between the players and owners as to how that process would occur. NFLPA lawyers and brass believe there are "major problems with the process of reforming the union and settling the lawsuits," as spelled out in the proposal presented by the owners, one source told La Canfora.
Complicating matters is the fact some players have been referred to an illegitimate website that is posing as a vehicle to help players vote to reconstitute a union. The NFLPA sent a letter to all players and agents Friday advising them to ignore the site and that it isn't affiliated with the organization or the NFL.
NFL Network insiders Jason La Canfora and Michael Lombardi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
