NFL | Lack of CBA would Cause Some Changes
Mon, 4 Jul 2005 05:59:58 -0700

Kevin Goheen, of the Cincinnati Post, reports if the owners and players can not reach agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, owners would be faced with an uncapped year, but it would also mean players need six years of accrued NFL experience instead of four to become an unrestricted free agent. "I believe the fear or the weight of an uncapped year is a much bigger hammer for the union than the possible addition of two more years of restricted free agency is for the owners," said agent John Michels. "The majority of owners would be more worried about uncapping the salary structure than the union is of the extra years it would take to become an unrestricted free agent. The whole nature of the CBA has been one of cooperation and profitability for everyone. It's been a very successful formula for both sides and I don't think anyone wants to see that end. I don't think the NFL will ever get that far."

NFL | Signing Bonus Structure Changed
Mon, 4 Jul 2005 05:55:05 -0700

Kevin Goheen, of the Cincinnati Post, reports under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were allowed to spread the amount of signing bonuses they gave to players over as many as seven years for accounting and salary cap purposes. Through negotiated agreement, teams can only spread those bonuses for three years past the final capped season, in this case 2006. What that means for this year is that signing bonuses can only be spread out for five years. That fact seems to be making it a little more difficult for teams to finalize deals with rookies. Agents are still looking for monetary increases over what was paid last year.