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NFL's new deal will delay beginning of free agency
Players, teams will digest new CBA first
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With optimism growing that the NFL will reach labor peace this week, the start of free agency might be delayed a week or even two.
The free-agency signing period is scheduled to begin Friday, but with an extension of the collective bargaining agreement possibly being in place by today or tomorrow, more time would be needed for teams and players to digest the new economics that would affect contracts.
For example, the salary cap that was expected to come in for each team at up to $95 million could reach $100 million or more under a new CBA.
Management and the NFL Players Association have been in fierce negotiations to get an agreement done before Friday because of all the ramifications that would affect both sides if there isn't one, starting immediately. The CBA runs through the 2007 season.
Tied to the CBA extension is a separate agreement that must be reached among the owners on revenue sharing. One source told the Post-Gazette that the owners are going to agree on the new formula for sharing revenue among all 32 teams that now is not shared. The discussions had brought disagreement and threatened to blow the NFL into an economic civil war between the so-called big-market teams and the small markets. The Steelers are considered to be in the middle of the pack.
"I feel that we'll likely have a deal," Dallas owner Jerry Jones told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel yesterday.
Another sign that a deal is imminent was a memo that each NFL team received yesterday informing them that the amounts for one-year tender contract offers required for restricted free agents would not be computed until at least today. Those were supposed to be released by the league yesterday.
The Steelers have two restricted free agents, cornerback Ike Taylor and special teams captain Sean Morey. Taylor will receive a contract that would give the Steelers a first-round draft pick if he's signed by another team and the Steelers decline to match. Morey will receive a lower tender, protecting the team's right to match any contract he might receive.
Players, teams will digest new CBA first
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With optimism growing that the NFL will reach labor peace this week, the start of free agency might be delayed a week or even two.
The free-agency signing period is scheduled to begin Friday, but with an extension of the collective bargaining agreement possibly being in place by today or tomorrow, more time would be needed for teams and players to digest the new economics that would affect contracts.
For example, the salary cap that was expected to come in for each team at up to $95 million could reach $100 million or more under a new CBA.
Management and the NFL Players Association have been in fierce negotiations to get an agreement done before Friday because of all the ramifications that would affect both sides if there isn't one, starting immediately. The CBA runs through the 2007 season.
Tied to the CBA extension is a separate agreement that must be reached among the owners on revenue sharing. One source told the Post-Gazette that the owners are going to agree on the new formula for sharing revenue among all 32 teams that now is not shared. The discussions had brought disagreement and threatened to blow the NFL into an economic civil war between the so-called big-market teams and the small markets. The Steelers are considered to be in the middle of the pack.
"I feel that we'll likely have a deal," Dallas owner Jerry Jones told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel yesterday.
Another sign that a deal is imminent was a memo that each NFL team received yesterday informing them that the amounts for one-year tender contract offers required for restricted free agents would not be computed until at least today. Those were supposed to be released by the league yesterday.
The Steelers have two restricted free agents, cornerback Ike Taylor and special teams captain Sean Morey. Taylor will receive a contract that would give the Steelers a first-round draft pick if he's signed by another team and the Steelers decline to match. Morey will receive a lower tender, protecting the team's right to match any contract he might receive.
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