In a report by the Associated Press, NFL players have apparently agreed to a new labor deal and are expected to vote on it later in the day on Monday. This would eventually lead to an end to the 4 month old NFL lockout.
NFL owners overwhelmingly agreed to a proposed new agreement on Thursday however with some unresolved issues still on the table the players chose not to vote until after the weekend.
The two sides held talks over the weekend with the negotiations wrapping up early Monday morning.
“We have every reason to believe it’s going to be a good day,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the AP.
If players are to ratify the new agreement, NFL clubs would be able to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents on Tuesday. Conversations with veteran free agents also could start Tuesday, and signings could begin Friday.
That included how the more than $9 billion 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 for benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.