The proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement moves forward to be voted on by all NFLPA members

In a decision late into the night after Tuesday’s four hour meeting between NFLPA representatives and the owners, the proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement will be presented to the full body of players for approval.

After a long discussion, the details of which have not been released at this time, the NFLPA met with the representatives and decided to send the vote to the full body of members which consists of more than 2,000 players. If a majority of those who cast a vote is in favor of the proposal, then a new CBA will be in place beginning in the 2020 season and running through 2030. While there is expected to be some who will vote against the proposal, going to a vote of the entire body is projected to be approved barring some unforeseen circumstance. With over half of NFL players receiving the league minimum salary, the increase of these salaries by 20% will be a very attractive offer to many players.

It was reported by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor that the vote of the player representatives were 17-14-1 in favor of the new deal.

The largest sticking point in the current negotiations has been the expansion of the regular-season schedule to 17 games. Ironing out all the details became crux of the process with the players getting a lot in return for playing the extra game which will not be implemented until at least the 2021 season. Items such as the increase in minimum salary, expanding the active roster and practice quads, cutting the number of padded practices at training camp almost in half, changes in drug testing, and discipline issues being decided on by an arbitrator or some of the things which are included in the proposal.

It was reported the $250k cap on the paycheck for the 17th game for players operating on a contract which did not offer provisions on the expanded schedule was eliminated from the new deal after Tuesday’s meeting.

The NFL owners voted to send the proposal to the NFLPA last Thursday although the vote was not unanimous. It is believed some owners felt they were giving up too much in order to secure the deal now instead of in 2021. Hoping to use a new CBA in order to renew television contracts, the owners gave what is believed to be a more generous proposal to the players this year versus waiting until next off-season.

Although the NFLPA has not announced when the vote would take place, is believed it will take several weeks. The period to designate franchise in transition tags begins on Thursday, February 27, and the NFL has not announced which rules they will be operating under for the time being. While there is no guarantee the proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement will be accepted by the players, both sides appear to be optimistic at this point.

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