GOOD NEWS !
Some of the guys over at ESPN are reporting that a deal between the NFL Players and NFL Owners may be possible as early as 25 July.
And the plan may be to stuff everything that usually happens pre-season into 6 weeks:
• July 21 -- Educate the clubs on the new league rules and allow voluntary training for teams and agents.
• July 25 -- Sign undrafted rookies, as well as give free agents a chance to re-sign with their teams.
• July 28 -- League year starts and free agency begins.
• Aug. 2 -- Rosters must be set at 90 players.
• Aug. 3 -- Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
• Aug. 7 -- A four-day match period for teams to match restricted free-agent offer sheets.
• Aug 12 -- Deadline for rookies to sign contracts (not yet agreed upon).
• Aug.16 -- Signing period for restricted free agents ends, as does the signing period for franchise and transition tenders.
• Aug. 29 -- Deadline for players to report to earned credit for an accrued season toward free agency.
This'd be a very, very brief and chaotic free-agency period. And really, really tight schedule to try to have a full pre-season, . . . f'rinstance, maybe even moving the Hall of Fame game to the first Sunday.
If the NFL Deal precedes the debt-ceiling deal, at least poor old DonDiego will be able to enjoy his Eagles games while the World collapses around him. And it gives him at least a little time to stock up on freeze-dried food and ammunition, . . . oh, and a generator to power his big-flat-screen television all day Sundays.
Some of the guys over at ESPN are reporting that a deal between the NFL Players and NFL Owners may be possible as early as 25 July.
And the plan may be to stuff everything that usually happens pre-season into 6 weeks:
• July 21 -- Educate the clubs on the new league rules and allow voluntary training for teams and agents.
• July 25 -- Sign undrafted rookies, as well as give free agents a chance to re-sign with their teams.
• July 28 -- League year starts and free agency begins.
• Aug. 2 -- Rosters must be set at 90 players.
• Aug. 3 -- Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
• Aug. 7 -- A four-day match period for teams to match restricted free-agent offer sheets.
• Aug 12 -- Deadline for rookies to sign contracts (not yet agreed upon).
• Aug.16 -- Signing period for restricted free agents ends, as does the signing period for franchise and transition tenders.
• Aug. 29 -- Deadline for players to report to earned credit for an accrued season toward free agency.
This'd be a very, very brief and chaotic free-agency period. And really, really tight schedule to try to have a full pre-season, . . . f'rinstance, maybe even moving the Hall of Fame game to the first Sunday.
If the NFL Deal precedes the debt-ceiling deal, at least poor old DonDiego will be able to enjoy his Eagles games while the World collapses around him. And it gives him at least a little time to stock up on freeze-dried food and ammunition, . . . oh, and a generator to power his big-flat-screen television all day Sundays.
