Before we can get excited about the draft or next season, it would be nice to know that we’ll actually have a next season. Right now that looks to be in serious jeopardy. The NFL owners and players’ union are reportedly struggling to agree on how to split $1 billion in revenue. The current deal between the owners and players will expire on March 4th, and the NFL has repeatedly expressed their commitment to getting a deal in place prior to it’s expiration. The theory is that once the lockout officially starts on March 4th, it will only become more difficult to sit back down and come to an agreement.
The talks took a blow this week, though, with everyone leaving the table early on Wednesday, and talks being cancelled alltogether for Thursday.
Roger Goodell’s promise to drop his salary to $1 if a lockout were to occur is now a very clear and present possibility. It’s anyone’s guess how this will play out. Regardless, there will be an NFL draft come April. Whether those draftees will get a chance to play for their respective teams anytime soon remains to be seen.
Before anyone totally freaks out, remember this is part of the process. Anytime there are negotiations of this magnitude, there’s going to be days of major setbacks and days of progress. Part of two sides playing hardball means that there will be major breakdowns in communication, followed by the realization that a lockout means no one makes money. At the end of the day, all these millions they generate will go away if they don’t play. Eventually something will have to give. It could take a while for someone to give in, though, players or owners, because neither seems close to being ready yet. Based on that, I think it’s safe to say that Saints football in 2011 is dicey at best right now.
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