NFL Labor Talks break down

[Guest Vitamin X]

NFL labor talks reportedly break down

February 28, 2006

 

NEW YORK (Ticker) - Three days before the start of free agency, NFL labor talks reportedly broke off on Tuesday.

 

NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw had spent the last three days meeting with commissioner Paul Tagliabue in an attempt to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement.

 

The current labor contract runs through the 2007 season, but the salary cap disappears after 2006, making it critical to reach a new agreement.

 

Upshaw has stated that players would not agree to a cap again if it is allowed to expire.

 

It also is considered critical to have a new agreement in place so agents and team officials know how to structure contracts moving forward.

 

If there is no extension, the salary cap is expected to be about $95 million this season and feature raises after 2006 in a long-term deal would be limited to 30 percent. A deal could mean a cap of $10 million or higher.

 

During Super Bowl week, Upshaw threatened to decertify the union and take the league to court if stalled labor talks did not yield an agreement by early March. Free agency begins Friday.

 

Decertifying would involve disbanding the union and going to antitrust court to ask for a set of rules under which the NFL would operate.

 

The union decertified to end the 1987 strike and played without a CBA until 1992. The court eventually ruled in favor of the union, leading to the current deal with free agency and a salary cap, which took effect in 1993.

 

Since then, labor negotiations have been amicable due to a strong personal relationship between Tagliabue and Upshaw. Unlike the other major professional sports leagues, the NFL and the union have traditionally extended bargaining agreements long before expiration.

 

The sides have reached agreements on a number of issues, including changing the formula for the amount of money to go to the players from "designated gross revenues" primarily television and ticket sales," which includes nearly all the money a team generates.

 

As stated in the NFL offseason thread, this is pretty scary considering the overall popularity and success of football at the present time, even if this past season was rather boring.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Seems like the problem is between the owners moreso than between the league and the players.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

If there is no cap, then I guess we can say Washington Redskins will be a dynasty.

[Guest Vitamin X]

That was my first thought, actually, but it would make sense considering the Redskins are just an few gamebreakers on offense away from challenging for a title.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

That was my first thought, actually, but it would make sense considering the Redskins are just an few gamebreakers on offense away from challenging for a title.

 

As we know it, right now Sydner is reading your post, and now he will make it is priority to get Antwan Randle El

[Dangerous A 0]

Hey now. Redskins fan within earshot here.

 

 

In all seriousness, Gibbs is more about finding the right players than expensive ones that are great, but may not fit his system as well.

 

That said, Snyder would probrably tell Joe to deal with his $1 Billion dollar team that he constructs.

[Dangerous A 0]

As we know it, right now Sydner is reading your post, and now he will make it is priority to get Antwan Randle El.

 

 

He would make a decent #2 reciever. I'd prefer a bigger posession reciever since Moss is our little #1, but Randle El would be just fine. If he were to return kicks for us, I'd like for him to hang on to the ball a little more though.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

As we know it, right now Sydner is reading your post, and now he will make it is priority to get Antwan Randle El.

 

 

He would make a decent #2 reciever. I'd prefer a bigger posession reciever since Moss is our little #1, but Randle El would be just fine. If he were to return kicks for us, I'd like for him to hang on to the ball a little more though.

 

I don't think the Redskins will win the big one with Brunell as their QB.

 

What's up with Jason Campbell? I am big Auburn fan, and thought he would be good in NFL. Is he your future or what?

 

By the way, Philly Eagles are gonna come back to dominate form and take the NFC. You maddddd?

[Dangerous A 0]

Jason Campbell is the Redskins future. Gibbs figured while we have both Ramsey and Brunell, he might as well sit back and soak in everything and get a feel for what the offense is really about. Of course, nothing beats actual game time, but he's young and there is a reason we took him in the 1st round.

 

The Redskins gave Ramsey and his agent the ok yesterday to seek a trade. That gets Campbell up to #2 on the depth chart. With Brunell as brittle as he is (although he's tough too) Campbell will be playing sometime this year. I could even see Gibbs going with the "open competition" card for starting QB like he did last year.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I think Jason Campbell will be a surprise breakout whenever he gets the chance. I don't know why though.

[BruiserKC 0]

First of all...the Redskins won't become a dynasty since Snyder spends the money but doesn't spend it wisely. He's not a football guy and needs to let football guys run the team. All he needs to do is sign the checks.

 

What I hope won't happen is that the NFL owners won't lock out the players to get them to agree to re-upping the agreement or something like that. Strikes and lockouts don't fly well with fans anymore...I know I stopped watching the NHL after they lost an entire season (and I love hockey) and I have never, nor will I ever come back.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

First of all...the Redskins won't become a dynasty since Snyder spends the money but doesn't spend it wisely. He's not a football guy and needs to let football guys run the team. All he needs to do is sign the checks.

 

Hmmmm

 

Signing Joe Gibbs,

Re-signing Gregg Williams

The whole sign and trade with Denver to land Clinton Portis

Coles for S. Moss trade

 

Yep, that Snyder guy sure doesn't know what to do

[converge241 0]

Barring some last minute deal to extend the labor agreement we should be seeing cuts like never before tomorrow

 

 

 

The cap was to be like 108 million but now that theres no extension the cap is around 95 so now everyone has to adjust accordingly before the start of the new league year on friday

 

 

 

For the current decades dynasty patriots it seems a given that vinatieri and mcginnest (at least) are gone

 

 

The Vikings and eagles look to be forced to cut daunte and TO before they are able to trade them

 

 

 

The packers may have to cut brett favre before he officially makes his decision to return or retire

 

 

 

Colts have lost their slight hopes at resigning edgerrin

 

 

 

And that’s all just the tip of the iceberg..so many other names have been tossed around and expect even more surprise names no one saw coming

 

 

 

Of course then in 2007 there would eb no salary cap and it turns into baseball where the cowboys , raiders, redskins or whomever else can just give insane deals to everyone and build monster teams

 

 

 

And then once theres one year without a cap its likely that the players will never agree to go back to a cap

 

 

(felt this was a large enough topic to have its own thread but if a mod decides to move it into NFL offseason feel free)

[yankovic fan 0]

(felt this was a large enough topic to have its own thread but if a mod decides to move it into NFL offseason feel free)

 

 

YEP!

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=77911

[The Man in Blak 0]

Yeah, but that thread devolved into an argument about whether the Washington Redskins were going to spend $100 billion on their team this year. Let's start fresh and try again.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Of course then in 2007 there would eb no salary cap and it turns into baseball where the cowboys , raiders, redskins or whomever else can just give insane deals to everyone and build monster team

Fantastic news. Baseball has successful high spenders (04 Red Sox) failed high spenders (Mets, Cubs), successful low spenders (03 Marlins, Twins, A's), and failed low spenders (Expos, Royals). With all four quadrants well-represented in baseball, why does everyone think that in the NFL, the standings will match the ranking by payroll?

[BruiserKC 0]

It boils down to how wisely the money is spent. Any idiot can go out and play rotisserie league and buy the top players. But to get the players that mesh together is still the big trick.

 

That being said...I hope the NFL doesn't do something stupid and kill what they've worked so hard to build.

[the pinjockey 0]

Don't overlook the fact that they aren't just losing the salary cap, they are also losing the salary floor.

 

All of the doomsayers are saying how players are going to want huge money in the almighty uncapped year. But for every team willing to increase payroll, you are likely to have a smaller team (the ones that want the revenue sharing) decreasing their payroll. I don't think it is unreasonable to see a scenario where the total money going to players decreases, instead of increasing due to the lack of cap.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Don't overlook the fact that they aren't just losing the salary cap, they are also losing the salary floor.

 

All of the doomsayers are saying how players are going to want huge money in the almighty uncapped year. But for every team willing to increase payroll, you are likely to have a smaller team (the ones that want the revenue sharing) decreasing their payroll. I don't think it is unreasonable to see a scenario where the total money going to players decreases, instead of increasing due to the lack of cap.

I think this is wrong, respectfully. Salaries in pro football are held artificially low thanks to the salary cap. If there is a free agent who can mean the difference in reaching the Super Bowl, how much is that worth to a franchise? People are going to be stunned how much some of these players might make on the open market.

[the pinjockey 0]

I think, though, that when you remove the salary floor there are going to be at least handful of owners that decide that money in their pockets is more important than the team on the field. And put that with the fact that in the uncapped NFL, it will take players 6 years to become FAs instead of 4 years, which would likely cause a decrease.

 

An interesting quote from an agent:

"It might mean that no rookies get signed because no one is sure of the long-term ramifications," said Tom Condon, the agent for a number of the game's top players.

 

I wonder if this will have any impact on the draft in terms of making signability picks or trades for much less value than expected or if the will draft as usual and hope for a resolution.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

[Kaertos 0]

Football is going down the same road that mortally wounded MLB, hurt the NBA and almost killed the NHL. For them to not come to an agreement is just stupidity and greed, pure and simple.

[2GOLD 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

 

I'm more freaked by the news that the Bucs might cut Derrick Brooks.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

 

McNair restructured his deal and will be with the team through this year only. He will be a free agent next year. Story at espn.com.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

 

McNair restructured his deal and will be with the team through this year only. He will be a free agent next year. Story at espn.com.

 

I guess that confirms they are drafting Vince YOung.

[SpikeFayeJettEdBebop 0]

Yeah Im worried that the skins will play with 20 rookies on the roster...

[MrRant 0]

Don't overlook the fact that they aren't just losing the salary cap, they are also losing the salary floor.

 

All of the doomsayers are saying how players are going to want huge money in the almighty uncapped year. But for every team willing to increase payroll, you are likely to have a smaller team (the ones that want the revenue sharing) decreasing their payroll. I don't think it is unreasonable to see a scenario where the total money going to players decreases, instead of increasing due to the lack of cap.

I think this is wrong, respectfully. Salaries in pro football are held artificially low thanks to the salary cap. If there is a free agent who can mean the difference in reaching the Super Bowl, how much is that worth to a franchise? People are going to be stunned how much some of these players might make on the open market.

 

Football isn't really that way compared to other sports IMO. Too many facets of the game you have to be GOOD at.

[naiwf 0]

PTI says they just pushed back the free agency deadline 3 days.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

 

McNair restructured his deal and will be with the team through this year only. He will be a free agent next year. Story at espn.com.

 

I guess that confirms they are drafting Vince YOung.

 

There's actually been some talking of drafting the local guy, Jay Cutler instead. I can't believe people think the goddamn Wonderlic test is gonna hurt Vince Young in the draft.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Their talking about the Titans cutting Steve McNair. I'm freaking the fuck out now.

 

McNair restructured his deal and will be with the team through this year only. He will be a free agent next year. Story at espn.com.

 

I guess that confirms they are drafting Vince YOung.

 

There's actually been some talking of drafting the local guy, Jay Cutler instead. I can't believe people think the goddamn Wonderlic test is gonna hurt Vince Young in the draft.

 

Jeff Fisher all but confirmed them drafting Young on the NFL Network...