In the biggest step yet to ending the five month lockout, NFL owners voted 31-0 to ratify a proposal that would put NFL players back on the field in time for training camp. The Oakland Raiders were the only team abstaining from the vote.
The ball is now in the players court as they will have to do the same, hopefully late Thursday so the lockout can be lifted early Friday. One important thing the players need to do in order to ratify the new deal themselves is reform once again bringing themselves back to a union instead of a trade organization.
“With this ratification and the ratification of the NFLPA board, we will be prepared to open the training facilities this Saturday,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday evening at a press conference at the Atlanta Airport Marriott. “It is time to get back to football. I think we’ve crafted a long-term agreement that can be good for the game of football.”
Here are some of the details announced by the owners that will need players approval. This comes from the SportingNews…
— The Aug. 7 Hall of Fame game between the Bears and Rams has been canceled.
— Unrestricted free agency begins for players with four years accrued.
— Teams can start talking to anyone’s free agents at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
— The new CBA is approximately a 200-page document.
— There are no opt-out clauses, meaning the agreement is good through the 2021 Super Bowl.
— The salary cap will roughly be the same as before 2010.
— Undrafted free agents potentially can start signing with teams by Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
— Training camps open Wednesday.
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Source: SportingNews
