Owners approve new deal - players are next

[Sect309Fan]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110722/SPORTS01/307220078/Key-terms-NFL-approved-tentative-agreement?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

Hopefully the players vote on this today, and facilities open up Saturday to players. This article has the key terms to the agreement. Here are some that stand out to me:

1. In 2011 and 2012, teams collectively will commit to spend 99% of the cap space. I am curious how they are going to pull that one off. My guess is the next point will cause some teams to spend over 100% and some could spend 95% (or something less than 99%)

2. In 2011, each club may “borrow” up to $3 million in cap room from a future year, which may be used to support veteran player costs.

3. All drafted players sign four-year contracts. Restricted free agency starts after three accrued years and unrestricted at four. This is a pretty big benefit to the players. While the top draft picks won't get the huge signing bonuses as before, they won't have to wait as long to get a big 2nd contract.

4. No change to the 16/4 schedule format until at least 2013. Any changes to the number of games has to be approved by the players. So don't expect any changes to the schedule for a long while (thankfully).


There are quite a few other changes as well, but overall it looks to be a good compromise agreement. The owners get more money, and the players still get good money and extra benefits.

[Hammr]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110722/SPORTS01/307220078/Key-terms-NFL-approved-tentative-agreement?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

Hopefully the players vote on this today, and facilities open up Saturday to players. This article has the key terms to the agreement. Here are some that stand out to me:

1. In 2011 and 2012, teams collectively will commit to spend 99% of the cap space. I am curious how they are going to pull that one off. My guess is the next point will cause some teams to spend over 100% and some could spend 95% (or something less than 99%)

2. In 2011, each club may “borrow” up to $3 million in cap room from a future year, which may be used to support veteran player costs.

3. All drafted players sign four-year contracts. Restricted free agency starts after three accrued years and unrestricted at four. This is a pretty big benefit to the players. While the top draft picks won't get the huge signing bonuses as before, they won't have to wait as long to get a big 2nd contract.

4. No change to the 16/4 schedule format until at least 2013. Any changes to the number of games has to be approved by the players. So don't expect any changes to the schedule for a long while (thankfully).


There are quite a few other changes as well, but overall it looks to be a good compromise agreement. The owners get more money, and the players still get good money and extra benefits.

wondering how the 99% is going to work if you have to sign a couple players in wk 4 because of injury. Are you supposed to be able to sign a guy with 1% cap?

borrowing on the future? sounds like cap space hell issues coming

I don't see the 4 yr signing as a real issue, most player prove themselves by yr 2 and after yr 3 the team almost always knows weather or not they want to keep him.

and the 16/4 is good, they gotta hold it somewhere or the game will get watered down like the booze at a cheap roadhouse bar. not realy sure I like the idea of thursday night games, football 4 days a wk, still trying to get my mind around that idea

[Sect309Fan]

wondering how the 99% is going to work if you have to sign a couple players in wk 4 because of injury. Are you supposed to be able to sign a guy with 1% cap?

It's not like replacement players in week 4 cost very much. They would be league minimum guys usually. So even with 1% of the cap available, it shouldn't be hard.

The owners want cap hell. They didn't like having so much cap space (based on most of them not spending to it and wanting to lower the cap). Now they are getting what they want.

[Sect309Fan]

Some players are complaining that this CBA is not what the players agreed to in the negotiations. The owners are complaining that the players agreed to this. At this point, I don't think anyone knows who is right or not.

Right now, I would be surprised to see Titans players at BSP tomorrow.

[MauiTitan]

:facepalm

[Jones31]

:facepalm

exactly

[Sect309Fan]

No opening of team facilities tomorrow. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110722/SPORTS01/110722021/NFL-players-review-plan-won-t-camp-Saturday-owners-told-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[SouthSide Titan]

What's frustrating to me is that this situation reminds me of a scene in the movie Castaway. (Which I'm watching now) Wilson represents the Football season and Tom Hanks who reps us,football fans, is just floating in limbo with the season in sight but we can't quite get there!!!

[SwissTitansFan]

What's frustrating to me is that this situation reminds me of a scene in the movie Castaway. (Which I'm watching now) Wilson represents the Football season and Tom Hanks who reps us,football fans, is just floating in limbo with the season in sight but we can't quite get there!!!

On a side-note ....Castaway reminds me as well on a special dialog, when Tom Hanks is back home and talks with his wife....

Chuck Noland: So, let me get one thing straight here. [pauses and looks at Kelly] We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?

[Kelly looks worried but then smiles when she hears the question]

Kelly Frears: Em...yeah. Oh my god! Okay, they used to be in Houston. First they were the Oilers now their the Titans.

Chuck Noland: Houston Oilers are the Tennessee Titans.

Kelly Frears: Yeah. That's not all, we went to the Super Bowl last year.

Chuck Noland: Well, I missed that.

Kelly Frears: I nearly died it was so exciting. They almost won by one yard. One lousy yard right at the end.

[SouthSide Titan]

On a side-note ....Castaway reminds me as well on a special dialog, when Tom Hanks is back home and talks with his wife....

Chuck Noland: So, let me get one thing straight here. [pauses and looks at Kelly] We have a pro football team now, but they're in Nashville?

[Kelly looks worried but then smiles when she hears the question]

Kelly Frears: Em...yeah. Oh my god! Okay, they used to be in Houston. First they were the Oilers now their the Titans.

Chuck Noland: Houston Oilers are the Tennessee Titans.

Kelly Frears: Yeah. That's not all, we went to the Super Bowl last year.

Chuck Noland: Well, I missed that.

Kelly Frears: I nearly died it was so exciting. They almost won by one yard. One lousy yard right at the end.

That part killed me too.How did we go from Tom Hanks being stranded on a deserted island to a conversation in the movie about the worst sports day of my life?? REALLY??? The movie was good up until that part! :D

[Jones31]

Wilson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TitansJonne]

That part killed me too.How did we go from Tom Hanks being stranded on a deserted island to a conversation in the movie about the worst sports day of my life?? REALLY??? The movie was good up until that part! :D

It's like the writer said "lets get everyone sucked into this intense scene, and when things get really dramatic, SLAP EVERY SINGLE TITAN FAN WATCHING THIS MOVIE IN THE FACE."

[SouthSide Titan]

It's like the writer said "lets get everyone sucked into this intense scene, and when things get really dramatic, SLAP EVERY SINGLE TITAN FAN WATCHING THIS MOVIE IN THE FACE."

Yeah man our team gets no love.Not on ESPN,NFL Network and CastAway. It's all good though.I can always get Love at the TOMB!

[Sect309Fan]

Here are the next steps now that there is an informal agreement between the players and owners. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6797238/2011-nfl-lockout-owners-players-come-deal-all-points-sources-say


• Monday: NFLPA's executive committee votes whether to recommend approval of the CBA approved by owners on Thursday. Then, a player rep from each of the 32 teams votes whether to recommend approval of the CBA.

• Wednesday: Players from some teams report to facilities and vote whether to recertify the NFLPA as a union and accept the proposed CBA.
If the NFLPA has gotten the necessary votes, teams can also start contract talks with their own players, including free agents and draft choices.

• Friday: The remaining players report and vote whether to approve recertification and the CBA. If the NFLPA then receives the necessary 50-percent-plus-one-vote majority in approval, then it recertifies as a union.
• Saturday: Free agency starts and teams can officially sign players.