It’s offseason calendar watching time in the NFL and there are some important events set to happen over the next two weeks. We’ll know more about the labor situation and the makeup of teams by March 18th. Here are the dates where you should always be by a phone, computer, or television.
March 12th, CBA Vote Deadline
The deadline for players to vote arrives three days short of the ides of March. This one is pretty simple. Either the players vote to ratify the new CBA or they vote to decline the offer. Going with the second option puts them back at square one. There aren’t many negotiating points that the owners would be willing to give up on. Some people seem to be focusing on the revenue split. In the current offer, it sits at 48 percent. Even if the players fight for 50 percent they will have to figure out if the TV deal will be a lower dollar amount a year from now. It only takes simple math to figure out that 48 percent of 10 billion is more than 50 percent of nine billion.
This deal should be watched closely. It could set up the NFL for the next 10 years or it could lead to a lockout and a situation where we all miss football. The deal only passed 17-14 with team reps so it’s going to be a tight vote.
March 12th, 4:00 p.m. ET, Tag deadline
If the players don’t come to a new CBA agreement it triggers a clause where teams will be able to use the franchise tag or the transition tag — normally teams must pick only one — and that’s some tough timing for the league.
Theoretically, a team could use both and the new CBA could be agreed upon and then teams will get a very tight grace period to rescind one of the tags. In any case, tags will be officially dropped on the 12th. Get ready to find out if your team uses it to hang on to its players or if the free-agent market will be flooded with talent.
March 16th, 12:00 p.m. ET, Legal Tampering Period
It’s funny that they call it the legal tampering period because we all know that illegal tampering goes on well before it is allowed to happen by the NFL. This is simple. Free agents can start to negotiate deals with new teams. They can take meetings with coaches and front offices. This is when someone will be flying Tom Brady into their offices to pitch him on coming to a new team. It’s when Jadeveon Clowney will be telling his suitors that they need to have a lot of zeroes in his next deal. It’s when tagged players get really angry about not having freedom of movement.
March 18th, 4:00 p.m. ET, Free Agency begins
Essentially the new league year starts two days after the legal tampering. Free agency beings. Deals can be announced. Trades become official. It’s a big-time for a lot of players, coaches, agents, front offices, and fans. Of course, a lot of deals will be announced before then. This is the time where things will become official.
