The NFL and NFLPA* talks have been hot and heavy of late and issues have been solved at a breakneck speed in the past few days. Just one sticking point remains before the proverbial Gatorade bath. Assuming there isn’t a fumbled kneel down or secret tuck rule announcement, Sports Illustrated can warm up the T-shirt press and tell the network which commercial to air. Then the real craziness begins.
The latest agreement, or lack thereof, that adds to the insanity of the next couple weeks was the shooting down of the right of first refusal as reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. For those who aren’t sure what that means (I hope I get it right), if any free agent signs an offer sheet from another team, his current team has the opportunity to match that offer to keep him.
The owners wanted the right of first refusal placed on this year’s free agents due to the shortened transaction period, though all along they pretty much knew the NFLPA* wasn’t going to go for it. And instead of trying to fight for it and risk another impasse, the owners gave in after a halfhearted attempt.
What the teams got instead is a 72 hour period to try to re-sign their own players before they are deemed unrestricted free agents — a lot of work to be done in a very short amount of time. This puts the players in a great position with the teams’ backs against a wall and little time or leverage to work with.
Aside from settling the Tom Brady litigation and the TV ad revenue damage case, there is just one issue left on the table in the negotiations, an issue that, as of Friday, the players feel has been brushed aside as unimportant. It is an issue that the league refers to as “working conditions.”
The players are seeking a reduction in contact drills and full-pad practices, a reduction in off-season workouts, and other changes designed to increase player safety and make violations of rules already in place enforceable. The players’ biggest concerns are coaches violating practice and workout rules that are designed to protect player safety.
The players point to many instances in which full contact in practices has led to season and career ending injuries as well as detrimental long term effects on player health. This is a longstanding issue and one that the players feel has been treated up to this point the same way it was treated at the negotiating table. Swept under the carpet.
Now the negotiations appear to have just this one issue remaining and it seems the perfect time to put it on the table so it gets the attention it deserves.
The players claim that this issue has more to do with league control than anything. And if that is the case then it is an issue they should be resolved quickly. The current projected timetable to have that along with any other loose ends tied up is by Tuesday.
Once there is a hand shake deal in place, the wheels can begin to turn. This will all culminate on the 21st at the owners’ meeting for ratification. At which point, let the games begin.
Last week a tentative transaction schedule was put together (see that here) that outlines the timeline for all of the important signing periods and deadlines that are to happen once the deal is announced. It marked the date teams can begin attempting to re-sign their own free agents as July 25. Then 72 hours later, free agency begins. There have also been reports that suggest that time could begin as early as July 22 which would have free agency starting on July 25.
That schedule is still set to commence as planned so long as the deal is ratified at or before the owners’ meeting on July 21.
The Raiders have some key free agents they will be attempting to re-sign. Zach Miller is priority number one. Nnamdi Asomugha could very well be priority number two. The jury is still out on whether Michael Bush is going to be a free agent or not. Bush has been in the league four seasons but his first season was spent on the non-football injury list. If that year doesn’t count toward his time in the league, it would make him a restricted free agent and the franchise tender the Raiders placed on him would remain valid.
Other key Raider free agents include S Michael Huff, OT Mario Henderson, C Samson Satele, LB Thomas Howard, OT Khalif Barnes, and OT Langston Walker. Satele received an original round tender before the lockout so the team has (or had) interest in keeping him. Two Texas natives, Huff and Howard, are thought to be moseyin’ down that dusty trail. Walker may retire though the team could still try to convince him, Barnes, and Henderson to re-sign.
Then there is the little issue of the salary cap. The new cap is said to be at $123 million (down from the previous $128 million), with exemptions that bring it to $130 million. Currently the Raiders sit at $129 million but that is before taking into consideration re-signing their own free agents. If they hope to do so, they will ultimately have to restructure the deals of several other players on the squad to get under the cap. Al Davis has always been a master at this but he has a lot to work out in a very short period of time.
As if that wasn’t enough, there is the little issue of undrafted free agents. All the phone calls and signing of UDFA’s must also happen in that 72 hour window. The Raiders probably have a pretty good idea of who they want but there will be no time for either side to contemplate the decision. It will be a short conversation with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (while the next player is on the other line), and followed by some travel arrangements.
In the midst of all this the team will be starting trainging camp, which is slated to begin on July 26 in Napa,
You can bet every minute of that 72 hours will be utilized with several things happening at once, all equally important — organizing training camp practices, calling undrafted free agents, negotiating with potential free agents, and re-signing those players. Once it is all done and the clock strikes midnight… free agency begins.
Those players who would have otherwise been restricted free agents and who, in that 72 hours, don’t receive the figure they were hoping to see from their previous club, will explode onto the open market.
At that point, if either Zach Miller or Nnamdi Asomugha or one of the other free-agents-to-be have yet to re-sign, the Raiders will continue to try to woo them back. All while trying to bring in some other quality free agents on the market. This is going to get pretty crazy.
So, cautiously optimistic, we wait with bated breath for that final call to come down. When it does come down, hold onto your butts. There won’t be much sleeping at Raider headquarters for a while.
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