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.