Denver Broncos' Pat Bowlen Releases Statement On New CBA

NFL Lockout Ends

The NFL Lockout is over. Over 130 days later, the NFL owners and players have agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement that came together over the weekend. The  NFLPA executive committee made it unanimous, as George Atallah, who works for the players and the NFLPA, tweeted. With this unanimous recommendation, the vote will now go to the 32 player representatives for a vote, which is a mere formality at this point. Then every player will need to vote on recertify the the union when they begin to report to training camp this week.

Now the NFL season will be condensed from several months to just a total of five days or so. Undrafted rookie free agents, rookies, restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, franchise players--all kinds of moves are going to come at a pace no one has ever witnessed before in the NFL.

There will be no opt-out clause in this deal, which means it will be another decade until we need to hear about labor agreement talks.

For more on the NFL visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Tim Tebow Tweets 'Game On', Other Denver Broncos Join In

NFL Lockout: Free Agency Could Begin Tuesday, Reports Adam Schefter

The NFL lockout is expected today and free agency could begin on Tuesday, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter. This seems to be an odd development, given other reports over the last few days that had free agency beginning several days after the new agreement's approval.

Schefter reports that teams could start to re-sign their own impending free agents on Monday afternoon and that they could talk with unrestricted free agents at that time as well. Players could then sign on Tuesday afternoon. Trades could be discussed also, but they wouldn't become official until Saturday. Any new contracts signed wouldn't go in effect until Aug. 2.

The Aug. 2 date is important because that would be the start of the 2011 league year. But first we'll need the NFLPA to make its announcement about accepting the deal. That is expected to come sometime between 10 a.m. MT and 12 p.m. MT.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL lockout news.

NFL Lockout: New Agreement Between Owners, Players Expected At Monday Press Conference

Monday should be the day the NFL lockout ends. The NFLPA is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to announce that they have reached an agreement with the owners over a new collective bargaining agreement. There were mixed reports on Sunday on whether the deal was done or was close to being finalized on Monday.

Late on Sunday evening, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, it was reported, sent an e-mail out to his teammates, informing them that the deal was done and the announcement was expected to come on Monday. He offered a timetable on what would happen with the Saints and would apply to the rest of the league. With the announcement on Monday, teams would then have 72 hours to re-sign their own players beginning on Tuesday. On Friday, free agency would start in earnest. Training camp would be expected to start on July 31, which is the date Brees provides for the Saints.

On Monday, after the expected announcement, the NFLPA executive committee is expected to recommend the deal to the 32 player representatives. The reps would then vote on the deal, which sends the vote to every player. The players will vote on recertifying the union when they report for training camp.

Football should finally be here soon enough.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL lockout news.

NFL Lockout Update: Players Still Looking Over Deal Owners Ratified

The NFLPA will work through the weekend to determine what exactly is in the collective bargaining agreement that the owners approved on Thursday night, reports ESPN. However, there are conflicting reports, as ESPN also mentions. The players supposedly received an e-mail telling them that there will be a meeting among the player representatives on Monday, while other sources report about the continuing work over the weekend.

The NFLPA apparently did receive a summary of the proposed deal, but the one that the owners voted on did not include the 10 open issues the players still need to resolve. The ones that loom largest are the reconstitution of the players association and a settlement of the Brady vs. NFL lawsuit.

So there will be no team facilities opening this weekend and there will be no early start to free agency. As will all things lockout-related at this point, the truth of the matter is still murky. Neither side looks good the longer things go.

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NFL Lockout: No Players Vote Today, Says Brian Dawkins

It looks like NFL fans will need to wait a little longer for football to start back up. Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, reports the Denver Post, said that he doesn't anticipate a Friday vote by the players on the proposed collective bargaining agreement that the owners approved, 31-0, on Thursday evening. The NFLPA and the players are still going over the entire document to understand some of the last-minute changes the owners voted for.

While the teams expected to open their facilities on Saturday, it no longer appears that players will do so with no vote on the CBA planned yet. The proposed timetable to start the season that the NFL released on Thursday night will need some changes to it, as it was contingent upon the players ratifying the deal. Free agency and preseason games are still quite unsettled.

Don't count on Broncos training camp starting on July 27 or 28.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Players Could Hold CBA Vote On Friday

The NFL Lockout is still in place on Friday morning, and there's no telling how long it will last. On Thursday, the owners approved, 31-0, their proposed terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. However, the players were unaware of provisions that the owners put in and backlash erupted among them. After a two-hour conference call with DeMaurice Smith, the player representatives and others did not hold a vote on accepting a new deal.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the players could take a vote on Friday (though that is disputed), as they received the details of all the owners' proposed changes after the conference call ended. What remains to be settled, among other things, is language in the agreement that coerces the players into forming a union, almost assuredly a violation of labor laws.

Just days ago, everything looked like it was in place to end the lockout, but now things may have moved further back from an agreement. Stay tuned for what should be another wild day in NFL Lockout Land.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Players Don't Vote, Feel Owners Are Trying To Pull A Fast One

The NFL Lockout will continue after the players did not vote Thursday night on a new collective bargaining agreement. This came just hours after the owners approved a set of documents that they wanted for the new deal. However, the players have taken to Twitter to express their displeasure with a deal that has new clauses in it that the players didn't agree to.

NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith did hold a conference call with the player reps on Thursday night and it was not a good call. A second e-mail came out after that, in which the NFLPA told players that the NFL timetable for the players to reconstitute their union would be a coercive act and illegal under labor laws. Under the deal the owners approved, the players need to do that by July 26. And once that happens, the players have three days to negotiate any changes. But if the owners don't accept them, it's the previous agreement for the next decade.

What a crazy night!

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Why Did The Oakland Raiders Abstain From Voting?

NFL Lockout: Players Appear Unlikely To Accept Owners' Agreement

As Lee Corso says, "Not so fast, my friend!" The players do not appear close to ratifying the agreement the owners approved earlier on Thursday. According to Pro Football Talk (via Adam Schefter), player reps received an e-mail that appears to claim that the owners are attempting to coerce the players into re-forming the union hastily, which would be a violation of national labor laws.

Sports Illustrated followed with a tweet about the letter DeMaurice Smith sent the players. In it he tweeted:

5) There is no agreement between the NFL and the Players at this time. I look forward to our call tonight.

As it stands now, approval of a new collective bargaining agreement by the players appears to be on shaky ground. The 6 p.m. MT call appears though it will be to update the players a bit more on what was in the e-mail.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Tentative Schedule Of Events Put Down

The NFL Lockout is almost over, pending a vote by the players on a global settlement. That could happen Thursday night, but it is unlikely. However, the NFL has already released a tentative schedule of events once a new agreement is in place.

The league year is tentatively set to begin on Wed., July 27, at 12:00 p.m. MT. That would signal the beginning of training camp for all 32 teams. That will also be the start of free agency. However, on July 23, teams can start talking with undrafted rookie free agents and then start signing them on July 24 at 12:00 p.m. MT.

There are changes to the way practices are conducted for the first few days, and the roster limit in training camp is now set at 90 players, a 10-player increase. NFLLabor.com has a complete breakdown of the upcoming league year that can be viewed here.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Owners Approve New Deal, Wait For Players To Vote

The NFL Lockout is halfway over on Thursday evening, as the owners have voted 31-0 in favor of approving a global agreement that ends all legal matters in the Brady, et al. vs. NFL legal battle that has gone on since the middle of March. Al Davis' Oakland Raiders were the only team to abstain from voting. Everything now depends on when and how the players vote on this deal.

The players will have a conference call around 6 p.m. MT, but it may not be for a vote. As NFL.com's new report states, the call could just be to update the player representatives on what is currently going on and NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith doesn't expect a vote to happen on Thursday.

The main issue here for the players is when they recertify as a union. That is part of any new CBA, but will it happen before the new CBA is voted on or after by the players is up in the air.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Players Give Conditional Approval Of CBA, According To Report

Wednesday came and gone and the NFL Lockout is still in place. While the lockout wasn't expected to end on Wednesday, the players were expected to vote on the new collective bargaining agreement before the owners did so on Thursday. As it turns out, the players gave a conditional vote on Wednesday (via NFL.com) on terms that they would accept, pending other issues being cleared up.

The Brady vs. NFL class-action lawsuit needs to be finished as part of a global agreement and that has yet to be settled. Reportedly, the player reps won't vote on any deal until every outstanding legal matter is completed.

While there is some speculation that the players could vote on Thursday, that may not be the case. The owners are still scheduled to vote in Atlanta on Thursday.

Don't ink down Broncos training camp starting on July 28 just yet. It's going to come, but the players want to make sure they have the details down right.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Players Expected To Vote On New Agreement Wednesday, According To Report

The light at the end of the tunnel of the NFL Lockout is almost there for the fans, the owners and the players. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, a vote by the players on a settlement with the owners over the lockout and all other legal issues is likely to occur on Wednesday.

NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith is likely to recommend the new collective bargaining agreement to the player representatives (he did help negotiate it, after all) when he runs down all the provisions in an afternoon meeting. Once that happens, a vote will take place among the players, though player president Kevin Mawae is still expressing restrained optimism over the timeline for a vote to take place.

The next vote is likely to come on Thursday when the owners meet in Atlanta. Twenty-four of 32 owners need to approve the CBA in order for it to be adopted by the league.

Should the votes go as scheduled and predicted there will be several stages left to go. Those include an undrafted free agency period, a 72-hour window for teams to re-sign their own players, the start of free agency and then the start of training camp for most teams. The Denver Broncos are still expected to start things in Dove Valley on July 28.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Player Representatives Heading To D.C., Broncos' Brian Dawkins Already There

In what has to be the surest sign yet that a new collective bargaining agreement is set to be finalized between the owners and the players, the 32 player representatives of the NFLPA are heading to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for a vote on the new deal. This will give the union reps time to learn about the deal, communicate details to their respective teammates and then vote to approve the agreement.

Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins is already will be in D.C. as the team's representative and as a member of the executive board after he resolves his airline issues. Once Dawkins plays his part in all of this, he'll need to meet his future with the Broncos, which could include a pay cut for the aging veteran.

Once the players approve the agreement, the owners are expected to vote on July 21. Once that happens, Denver Broncos training camp can commence on July 28 or thereabouts.

Are you ready for some football?

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Language Of Agreement Written In NY, While Other Meetings Held In DC

The momentum to a conclusion of the NFL Lockout continues on Monday morning with news that a new Collective Bargaining agreement is being written in New York. As ESPN's Adam Schefter reports, the lawyers for both sides are meeting in New York to write the agreement, while the leaders of the NFL and the NFLPA are meeting in Washington, D.C.

According to the NFL Network's Albert Breer, a player representative from all 32 teams will be in D.C. on Wednesday in anticipation of a new agreement being finalized on Thursday. This would allow those players to then communicate what the new deal includes to their teammates.

Schefter also has an odd but funny quote from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones:

Jerry Jones says labor deal is down to "circumsizing [sic] mosquitoes". Who would have known a moyel would be more significant than a mediator?

So both sides are down to the really small things, but with mosquitoes being quite small wouldn't it be hard to circumcise them? At this point, everyone's probably trying to find some new analogy to describe how close the negotiations are to being done. No need to quibble over gossamer in them.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout 2011: Agreement In Principle Could Come Early This Week, Owners Vote Possible On July 21

The NFL Lockout could be over by Thursday, July 21, as has been speculated over the last week. According to the NFL Network's Albert Breer, the owners and the players have no plans to meet and discuss things--a good sign because it means they just need their respective lawyers to go over details and language through e-mail and phone calls.

As we've learned over the last week, both sides came to an agreement on a rookie pay scale, agreed to end restricted free agency on fourth- to sixth-years players, created the framework for a "legacy fund" for post-agreement talks and have allowed teams a 72-hour window to re-sign their own free agents before all things go wild.

For the Denver Broncos, this means the team can finally get down to adding at running back and defensive tackle in free agency and finally starting the Kyle Orton-Tim Tebow quarterback battle. The heat of August is swiftly approaching.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout: Players, Owner Reach 'Economics' Of New CBA

There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the NFL Lockout if new reports are accurate. According to the NFL Network's Albert Breer, the owners and players have established the "economics" of a new collective bargaining agreement. On Thursday night, a rookie pay scale had been reached, previously a tough negotiating point for both sides.

Reportedly, the owners made serious concessions earlier when the players made threats, though now word has come out on what specifically they might have been. Certainly it appears that both sides are anxious to get a deal done before they do too much long-term harm to the game.

Breer also points out that a "legacy fund" to aid retirees still needs to be worked out, as well as player safety concerns. Some reports also have the salary cap being established at $120 million with exceptions and such for up to $130 million.

Football looks to be back closer than ever since March.

Stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

NFL Lockout 2011: Rookie Pay Scale Reportedly Agreed On; Von Miller's Agent Thinks It Beneficial

On Thursday evening, the NFL Lockout may have moved one step closer to coming to an end, as reports indicate that the owners and the players agreed on a rookie pay scale. However, there are still some minor legal matters that need to be dealt with before it can be finalized. But with conflicting reports emerging daily on how close a deal may or may not be done, that missed dot over an 'i' could be problem.

But the agent for Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, Joby Branion, recently said that he believes a rookie pay scale could benefit the players later on:

"You may not get what you'd like to start. But it may work better for you in the long term because you might get to free agency sooner and might end up with more money in that second contract than you would have in the old situation," said Branion.

In 2010, the Detroit Lions signed the No. 2 pick, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a five-year, $60 million deal, which included $40 million guaranteed and $8 million in additional incentives. And that was before he even played in down in an NFL game. He certainly justified the contract in his first year with 10 sacks.

Whatever this rookie pay scale turns out to be, Von Miller is still going to get paid handsomely in his first contract. And should he turn into the dynamic defensive player John Elway hailed him as, that second contract will be all the sweeter.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report, and stick with this StoryStream for NFL Lockout news.

2011 NFL Lockout: New CBA Could Be Ratified By July 21, According To Report

As we enter the doldrums of July, there is some good news about the NFL Lockout ending soon, according to new reports. ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter are reporting that both the owners and the players believe a deal could be in place by July 21, when owners' meetings are held in Atlanta, Ga. The owners would then ratify the deal then.

However, they caution, the optimism isn't unanimous among everyone:

However, one member of the players' negotiating team who has been a constant presence at the table said that players feel they have made significant concessions and overtures "that have not been reciprocated."

While the players have agreed to cut rookie salaries, they have sticking with the need for rookies to become free agents after four years. Under the old deal, players with four-, five- or six-years experience qualified for restricted free agency.

There are reportedly "Transition Rules" floating around already to get teams ready for a new league year, which the document believes could begin on July 28. That would mark the beginning of free agency, though undrafted rookie free agency would actually start a few days earlier.

One new thing that we could expect, if the rookie wage scale is agreed upon, is a rookie signing date. This would help end long rookie holdouts.

The clock keeps ticking, but for how much longer?

NFL Lockout 2011: Details Emerge In Proposed CBA, Free Agency Rules Affect Denver Broncos

Though the Eighth Circuit Court will likely rule on the lockout imposed by the owners in early July, the owners and the players may beat the judges to the punch and have a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place inside of a few weeks. Over the last several weeks the two sides have been negotiating and on Tuesday some of the details emerged. ESPN's Chris Mortensen has the info and here are some of the finer points:

• Players will receive 48 percent of all revenue, but it will not fall below 46.5 percent.
  
• A salary cap will remain in place, but teams will need to be at or near it.
• An 18-game season will be a negotiating point going forward, but it's not a slam dunk to happen now or in the future.
• A 16-game Thursday night schedule will be created.
• Unrestricted free agency starts at four years.
  
• Retired players receive improved benefits.

The owners still need to vote on this and there could always be dissension among the group.

The bullet on unrestricted free agency does affect the Broncos. Back in March, the team extended qualifying offers to five players who were set to hit unrestricted free agency. Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, signed an extension with the team shortly after that move. Of the four three that remain, only Wesley Woodyard remains unaffected, having played only three years. Offensive tackle Ryan Harris and DL Marcus Thomas and K Matt Prater now appear headed to free agency. CORRECTION: Prater does not have enough service time to be a free agent despite playing in four seasons.

Thomas let his intentions be known to seek free agency back in March and Harris is also as good as gone. Drafting Orlando Franklin, the Broncos tipped their hands in the direction they were going with Harris.

Broncos' David Bruton Substitute Teaches During Lockout, While Ravens' Ray Lewis Predicts 'Evil'

NFL Lockout 2011: Growing Chance For a New CBA?

Though the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the stay, keeping the lockout in place, on Monday afternoon, there may be a growing sense that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement can be reached during the summer. The decision on Monday appears to favor the owners' appeal case on June 3 because the ruling stated that it believed the original grant of an injunction to lift the lockout will not be upheld.

However, on Monday both sides re-opened negotiations and, combined with the likelihood of a successful owners appeal, the players' only route now appears to be to negotiate a new deal. A best guess would be that the two sides reach a new deal before the start of training camp or right before preseason games get underway. Once both sides see the specter of game revenue being lost, that could change the situation quickly.

Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

NFL Lockout 2011: Stay Granted, Lockout Remains In Place

After waiting over a week for a permanent ruling on the owners' request for a stay on Judge Susan Richard Nelson's grant on injunction, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a permanent stay before they decide the owners' appeal of the injunction, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.

In April, Judge Nelson granted injunctive relief for the players against the owners' imposition of a lockout. But the owners appealed the decision and then asked for a stay on the ruling, essentially keeping the lockout in place while the appeal was heard. Judge Nelson turned down a stay, which led the owners to ask for the stay from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. A temporary stay was granted during the NFL Draft, and since then we have waited for a permanent ruling. It was 2-1 decision in favor of the owners

What this means in practical terms for fans is not much. The 8th Circuit Court will not hear the NFL's appeal until June 3 and then a decision will not be reached until early July. However, this does bode well for the owners. Schefter tweeted a key line from the ruling:

Money phrase: On page 11 of today's ruling, judges wrote, "Our present view is that Judge Nelson’s interpretation is unlikely to prevail.”

Fans better brace for some tough times ahead.

Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

NFL Lockout 2011: 8th Circuit Court To Hear Owners Appeal June 3, Rule In July

While the NFL and the players await the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision on whether to keep the stay permanent on the injunction that lifted the lockout last week, the same court announced that it will expedite the owners' appeal of Judge Susan Richard Nelson's injunction and hear the case on June 3 in St. Louis.

Additionally, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that it will take 30-45 days for the appeals court to decide on the matter, meaning that we won't find anything out until July.

A decision on a permanent stay is expected later this week, likely on Thursday, May 5. Neither piece of news puts us any closer to having football in the fall, but at least there's something to wait for while the summer gears up. By July, the pressure to avoid lost games and the financial impact on all sides will become a real part of the equation.

Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

Undrafted Free Agent Signings On Hold With Lockout In Place

NFL Lockout 2011: Temporary Stay Of Injunction Granted

Just as soon as it looked like the NFL Lockout had been lifted earlier this week, a temporary stay on the injunction Judge Susan Nelson issued on Monday has been granted. Friday was the first and only day players were allowed access to team facilities to train, rehab, undergo physicals, etc.

The stay now prevents any of that as well as the start of the league year, which was expected to begin soon. The NFL was set to release notes to the teams on how to deal with trades and signings, but for now there is no need to do so.

So for rookies like Cam Newton and Von Miller, they were able to go to their new teams on Friday and meet with their coaches, but now they cannot have any contact with them again.

A complete ruling on Judge Nelson's stay will be determined next week.

Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

NFL Releases Statement On 'Post-Injunction Operations'

On Thursday afternoon, the NFL released a statement on what can now happen with an injunction against the lockout in place. Up until now, several teams have denied players access to team facilities, but that will now change.

Starting Friday, April 29 at 8 a.m. ET, teams will now allow players into their facilities for rehab, treatments and examinations. Teams can also hand out playbooks and coaches can discuss them with players. Organized team activities will be allowed, as will the use of work out facilities when OTAs are not taking place.

The league is also expected to inform the teams on how to conduct player trades, free agent signings and other roster transactions on Friday. The NFL will also inform teams when the league year starts so that player movement can take place. So we won't see any players traded on Day 1 of the NFL draft, and maybe not until after draft, depending on when the league year starts.

Follow this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

Lockout Lifted, But Knowshon Moreno, Teammates Denied Entry Into Broncos Facility

Even with the lockout lifted and Judge Susan Nelson denying the owners a stay on her ruling, NFL teams appear ready to keep the lockout in place. Denver Broncos running back recently tweeted that he tried to enter the team's facilities and was denied access:

No Broncos players appeared earlier in the week when the lockout was first lifted, but there were five reporters on stakeout that Tuesday. With the lockout lifted and a stay denied, the players are supposed to have access to these facilities. However, the league apparently is waiting for the 8th Circuit Court ruling to come down before allowing players back into their facilities.

According to Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post, Brian Dawkins led a group of 10 players to Dove Valley, but were told that "daily football operations [are] still 'on hold'."

NFL Lockout 2011: Owners Request For Stay Denied By Judge Susan Nelson

After Monday's ruling that lifted the lockout, the NFL owners sought a stay on the ruling, but Judge Susan Nelson denied that request on Wednesday night. As a result, the lockout is still not in place, but the owners are still seeking a stay on the ruling from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Nelson's court.

As part of the ruling, Judge Nelson ordered the league year to start immediately. What this means is not immediately clear. Under normal circumstances it would mean that free agency and trading players would be allowed to occur. But with an appeal for a stay in higher court still pending teams may not want to rush into things. Adam Schefter mentions that the NFL has told teams to wait for the 8th Circuit decision before doing anything, which the players contend the teams should not be able to do. It would appear to be a case of collusion.

Will some teams jump ship and attempt to trade players for draft picks during Thursday's draft? It's going to be an interesting couple of days.

Stay tuned to this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

NFL Lockout 2011: Judge Susan Nelson Grants Injunction, Owners To Request Stay

Judge Susan Nelson has ruled in favor of the players by issuing an injunction to lift the lockout. She did not issue a stay on the order, meaning the owners will now request one from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis, MO. Early speculation is that this could take several months, and the appeals court could take "a more conservative view of the case," according to NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora.

If the stay on the ruling is granted before the draft, we are back to square one until a decision is made. However, if the lockout is still lifted when the NFL Draft begins on April 28 there is the possibility that league rules will be in effect to trade players and sign free agents. Before the ruling, teams could only trade draft picks.

Both sides are expected to release statements on the ruling on Monday night.

Stay tuned to this NFL Lockout 2011 stream as this story develops.

NFL Lockout 2011: Players Break Over Labor Situation, According To Report

Is there a rift among the players now that the NFL Lockout is over one month old? According to a series of tweets by Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal, a "group of players described as mid tier" are upset over the Brady v. NFL case and wanted the March talks to continue. These 70 players, who have approached a law firm, would like to file a motion with Judge Susan Nelson in order to enter the current legal battles as well as the mediation that is ongoing.

If this group of players was granted its motion to join the lawsuit, they would not argue against the current Brady v. NFL case, which had the Eller v. NFL lawsuit consolidated with it earlier in April. The Brady v. NFL case is actually a consolidation of a number of high-profile players suing the NFL, but this separate group has other interests at stake that those star players don't have. These mid-tier players are much more financially dependent on playing than the stars who have already reaped their rewards.

Will the NFL owners be able to use this apparent rift to their advantage in reaching a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players?

NFL Lockout 2011: NFL, Players Ordered To Negotiate Again

Following last week's arguments for a grant of injunction for the players, Judge Susan Nelson has ordered the former players union and the league to negotiate again. However, Judge Nelson has not yet ruled on the grant of an injunction yet ,which is likely not to come for at least a couple of weeks.

Chief magistrate Arthur Boylan has been appointed by Judge Nelson to lead the mediation between the two sides. Negotiations will begin after Boylan meets both sides on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Although Judge Nelson has ordered both sides to negotiate, that does not mean that they must settle. At this point, it would require major concessions on either side for a new deal to get done, which seems unlikely to happen. It would appear that both sides would like to await the judge's ruling before returning to any serious negotiations.

The 2011 NFL Draft begins on April 28, but will there be a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place by that time? It seems doubtful, but, like Winston Churchill once remarked, what's the point of being anything other than optimistic?

Follow this NFL Lockout StoryStream for continual updates on the future of the NFL.

NFL Lockout: Injunction Arguments Set For Today, April 6

The latest maneuver in the ongoing 2011 NFL Lockout comes today, April 6, when Judge Susan Nelson of a US District Court in Minnesota hears oral arguments by the former players union to grant an injunction. Business Insider breaks down what could happen as a result of this hearing.

Business Insider believes that ruling could come as soon as Friday morning or Monday morning, but no longer than a week. And when that ruling by Judge Nelson comes, there are three possible outcomes. The first would be granting the injunction, which would lift the lockout and allow free agency and trades to happen. She could also grant the injunction, but keep lockout in place until the NFL's appeal is heard. She could also deny the injunction.

There are also issues dealing with the National Labor Relations Board, but those won't come into play until after the ruling.

This is not the offseason fans were hoping for, but it's the one they have received.

Follow this NFL Lockout StoryStream for continual updates over the next days, weeks and possibly months.

NFL Lockout 2011: Players' Request For Injunction Reportedly To Be Heard April 6

The first of what could be a series of legal actions in the ongoing 2011 NFL Lockout could begin on April 6 when a preliminary hearing for an injunction against the owners' lockout is scheduled, reports Jason La Canfora of NFL.com. The case that will be heard is Tom Brady vs. NFL. It will be argued in Minnesota in front of Judge Susan Nelson, not David Doty, who previously heard cases involving the NFL.

Several weeks ago, Doty had ruled against TV contracts that would have paid the NFL $4 billion even if a lockout prevented games in the fall. With Susan Nelson the presiding judge, this could change the nature of the coming court fights.

If the injunction is granted, the NFL would likely appeal the ruling, which could take a few weeks to be heard. If the appeal is denied, then free agency and trades could happen before a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached.

Follow this NFL Lockout StoryStream for continual updates over the next days, weeks and possibly months.

NFL Lockout Begins After Bargaining Deadline Expires

When the NFL Players Association agreed to decertify at the end of the business day on Friday, March 11, the next move was in the owners' hands. At 12:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 12, the NFL owners imposed a lockout on players. This move bars players from using team facilities or having contact with their head coach, team trainers or anyone else in the organization's management structure.

For the Denver Broncos, this hurts players like Demaryius Thomas and Eddie Royal who are recovering from significant injuries. If this runs for several months, it will also have an impact on the development of Tim Tebow.

However, the players are now free to challenge the league in court and could have an injunction granted that would allow free agency to occur be a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reach. No matter what happens in the courts, the NFL Draft will still take place at the end of April. Teams can trade draft picks, but not players currently in the league.

Follow this NFL Lockout StoryStream for continual updates over the next days, weeks and possibly months.

NFL Lockout 2011: NFLPA Decertifies Following Collapse Of CBA Negotiations

Multiple sources are reporting that the NFL Players Association has decertified following the league's refusal to turn over 10 years worth of financial records. This now paves the way for individual players to bring legal action, likely an injunction, against the league. But first the owners will need to lockout the players, which would prompt such legal action.

It should be noted, though, that decertification of the union can be undone at any point in time.

According to the NFLPA's own statement, it will continue to look after the interest of its players, both current and former.

Last week, the owners and the players union had agreed to extend the negotiating period for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement until Friday, March 11, but in the end neither side was willing to reach a new agreement. Now the courts and the lawyers take the stage.

This move and any resulting changes, however, will not affect the NFL draft, which is scheduled for April 28-30.

For continuing coverage on a potential NFL lockout, please follow this StoryStream.

NFL Lockout 2011: NFLPA Wants 10 Years Of Financial Records

The head of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, just spoke to the media on the NFL Network and said that 10 years of financial records would need to be turned over for an extension on the Collective Bargaining Agreement discussion to occur:

"We informed the owners that significant differences remained, that if there was going to be a request for an extension that we asked for 10 years of audited financial records to accompany any extension. We told them please let us know by 5 pm [ET] today. We're gonna head back to the office. I'm sure we'll have further comment later on."

The league has until 3:00 p.m. MT to turn over the documents or the union will likely decertify. It's quite the ultimatum.

If the players union dissolves, that would allow individual players to bring the NFL to court. And flowing from that, who knows what the lawyers for both sides will do?

NFL Lockout 2011: DeMaurice Smith Expects NFLPA Will Decertify, According To Report

With 90 minutes left until the end of the business day, the NFL owners and the NFL Players Association appear no closer to reaching a deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The head of the NFLPA, DeMaurice Smith, has informed the players that the plan for the moment is to decertify the union before 3:00 p.m. MT today, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter countenances that with a mention that "it always could" change, but what happens if the union decertifies? This would allow the players to bring legal action against the NFL while the owners impose a lockout. Under one scenario, however, the players could ask for an injunction that would allow free agency and trades to happen before a new CBA is reached, though how long that takes is up for debate.

But if the union decides not to decertify, another extension of the current deal could occur. However, at this point, decertification appears to be the eventual outcome.

NFL Lockout 2011: Rookie Wage Scale Reportedly Agreed Upon, But 18-Game Schedule Is A Non-Starter

The current NFL collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the players is set to expire on Friday night and things are nowhere near settled. However, there has been some progress made on several issues. Both sides have reportedly agreed to a rookie wage scale, but no specifics are available on that yet.

However, outside of the NFL allowing open access to its financial records, the other major issue is the proposed 18-game schedule. DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFLPA, told fans during a radio event that the players did not want an expansion of the regular season schedule. In a follow-up interview, Smith told Sports Illustrated that the league, for all its talk about adding two more games, has never formally brought the subject up. Furthermore, the players don't want it because they are concerned for their safety.

Will the sides agree to another extension if they cannot come to agreement on a new CBA by Friday evening? If not, the Players Union would likely decertify itself before the end of the business day and the owners would impose a lockout on the players. But in the end, if that happens, it will be the fans who lose the most.

NFL Lockout: Players, Owners Agree To Extend CBA Deadline Seven Days

The deadline for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in the NFL has been extended for another week. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the new deadline is now Friday, March 11 at 5:00 p.m. ET. This extension was earlier speculated after both sides agreed to a 24-hour extension on Thursday.

However, this appears to be the only extension that will be made to reach a new deal. Both sides will rest over the weekend and resume talks on Monday. They will then have five days to reach a new deal or watch for the players union to decertify and the owners to lock out the players. Once that happens, the courts will enter into the equation and we'll start to hear plenty of legalese.

This deal, however, does extend to players who are free agents. Players are no longer able to sign with teams.

Revenue split is the big issue, but the 18-game season and a rookie pay scale are also hot topics that will be discussed in any new CBA.

NFL Lockout 2011: Players Reportedly Agree On 10-Day Extension To Negotiate, Await Owners' Decision

In somewhat of a new development, the NFL Players Association has reportedly agreed to extend negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. This comes in the wake of both sides agreeing to extend the deal 24 hours, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, March 4.

The owners have not yet made a statement on this matter yet. If the owners do not agree to keep negotiating the current CBA will expire at midnight tonight. Mediator George Cohen apparently convinced the players to agree to the extension, but will he do the same with the owners?

Additionally, if the players believe the owners won't extend the talks one move they could make today would be to decertify the union. They would need to do that before the close of the business day on Friday. Should that happen, it would allow the players to challenge the league in court.

By not extending the negotiations, the owners' desire would appear to be a lockout.

NFL Lockout 2011: 'Significant Progress' Reportedly Made, But No New CBA Yet

The 24-hour extension the NFL owners and the players union agreed to on Thursday may already be paying dividends. According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King, sources inform him that "serious, significant progress has been made on CBA issues." However, whatever had changed is still "fragile." This is far and away a better message than the one fans have received over the last several weeks. From a lockout being almost certain, it's now possible that a new deal could be reached relatively soon.

Adam Schefter also reports that an unnamed source sees things as far better than before, but still proceeds with caution over the negotiations.

Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver has an excellent article on what is going on with these negotiations and believes that both sides may agree on a longer extension to reach a new CBA. If so, that would likely mean both sides will reach an agreement in a couple of weeks.

NFL Lockout: Deadlne Extended 24 Hours; Will Now Expire On March 4

It appears that both sides of the ongoing labor dispute within the NFL want to give themselves a bit more time before officially declaring a lockout, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortenson

The NFL owners and the Players’ Association have extended the deadline by 24 hours, and adjusting the countdown to 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 4.

This does not mean that talks have progressed between the two parties — as both sides still appear far apart on an 18-game schedule and pensions, among other issues — but it does give some hope that the two sides may be discovering some common ground and wished to advance discussions.

Deadlines can be wonderful incentives, and it looks like the NFL isn’t quite ready to cease work just yet. We’ll have a better sense of where they stand this time tomorrow.

NFL Lockout: Players Union Reportedly Ready To Decertify; Owners To Vote On Friday On Course Of Action

The deadline for the NFL Players Association and the owners to reach a new agreement comes at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 3. According to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter, both sides are preparing for their courses of action should no agreement be reached:

Being whispered: NFLPA files for decertification after tomorrow's mediation. CEC votes next day to lockout or close down. Then lawyers play.

By decertifying the union, the players would then be able to seek legal means to challenge the league in court. An owners' lockout of the players would prevent contact between the team and the players, stop the free agent period and, if it goes long enough, no training camp or regular season games. The NFL Draft will still take place April 28-30.

This report comes after news that today's mediation meeting went "better than expected," though without public knowledge of what went on in the talks this could mean very little.

With neither side looking to make concessions, it could be months before anyone starts to break this impasse.

NFL Lockout: Judge Rules Against Owners In TV Funds Issue, But Will This Force Sides To Compromise?

On Tuesday, Judge David Doty overturned an earlier ruling that would have allowed NFL owners to receive $4 billion in TV revenue even if a lockout of the players occurs. Doty found that the TV contracts violated the collective bargaining agreement, making them null and void.

This is definitely a win for the players' union, but Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver believes this ruling should make the sides reach a compromise that will eventually result in a new collective bargaining agreement. He believes that the owners and the players will temporarily extend the current CBA past the March 3, 11:59 p.m. ET deadline and then reach a new one within a week or two. But Silver qualifies that with both sides having "reasonable and logical reactions" to this ruling.

The sides will negotiate again on Wednesday, and there's some "cautiously optimistic" hope for what happens today. Stay tuned today for more on these developing issues.

NFL And Players Association Agree To Mediation Over Collective Bargaining Agreement, Will Reportedly Negotiate Seven Straight Days

News broke today that the NFL and the Players Association have agreed to mediation over their current collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will conduct the meetings under Director George H. Cohen.

The talks will start tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 18, but, as expected, future meetings and the state of negotiations are not up for discussion with the public.

Color me skeptical on this new development. This could just be a PR move by both sides to make it look as if they want to settle this matter equitably. The FMCS has no power to make both sides agree to anything; rather it can recommend and offer suggestions. However, there are reports that both sides will now negotiate for seven straigh tdays.

The current collective bargaining agreement ends on March 3, giving the two sides on a matter of weeks to reach a new deal. If no deal is reached, a lockout of the players is expected.