Former Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner has joined our brother site, Touchdown Wire, to offer his analysis on the current state of the NFL. Banner leads off with a warning to current players to not lose out on the current collective bargaining agreement offer from ownership.
Banner, who spent most of his NFL management career with the Philadelphia Eagles, discussed several of the gains the players will tangibly acquire from the current offer. Among them:
- An increase in overall revenue percentage
- More time off during the season
- Increase in minimum salaries
- More performance-based pay increases
- Changes in drug testing policies
Banner then breaks it down succinctly,
Did the players get enough in return for the major concession the owners sought? My answer is a clear yes.
Is it a great deal for the players? No.
Is it a solid deal that impacts a wide range of important issues that cover a large number of players? Yes.
Most importantly, if you have a vote or an opinion, is the risk of saying no and possibly ending up with a worse deal worth giving up the gains you have made?
This is the easiest answer. Absolutely not.
Keep on the lookout for more offerings from Banner, who continues to be an independent thinker in his post-NFL career. He was the Browns’ chief executive offer from 2012-2013 after more than 20 years with the Eagles organization.
