With Lockout Deadline Looming First Signs Of Progress Emerge

With less than 12 hours before the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement expires negotiations between NFL owners and the Players' Association showed their first real signs of optimism as the owners put forward a significantly improved proposal for a new CBA in the eyes of the players. By no means does this news signify that a new deal will be in place before 11:59 PM Thursday but it does increase the possibility of the CBA deadline being delayed in order to continue negotiations.

This would prevent the owners from locking-out the players which would meant the players would then decertify the union. Decertification would mean individual players could then take action against the NFL in an anti-trust case basically meaning there would be no union that could stop a lockout and give each player the ability to sue the NFL.

The extension of a deadline would likely be around 24 hours if it is agreed upon. Much of the near future of the NFL will be decided by the time Saturday arrives and we will know if these labor talks will become ugly and last until September or if our prayers will be answered and a deal will get done soon.