If the NFLPA is going to send out an email to its members telling them to prepare for a long lockout, the league and the owners needed to make sure they made a play through the media. Enter the return of the 18-game season — or at least a report about the return of an 18-game season.
This is pretty typical of negotiations. Both sides float some information to the media and they get a feeling of how it is received by their counterparts and fans. This isn’t going to stop either. We are getting an early start on CBA coverage. It’s the offseason and not much else is going on.
As for the 18-game season, the owners will have to give up something pretty substantial to get the players to move on that suggestion. The NFL and NFLPA are constantly talking about player safety and there’s not much of a logical argument that says that 18 games are safer than 16 games. It’s simply not possible. This won’t be an easy horse-trade either. The players aren’t going to accept relaxed drug testing for an extended regular season. They may accept something big like expanded rosters or — the real brass ring in negotiations — a larger percentage of football-related income.
That’s the update. The push for an 18-game season isn’t going away. Strap in for some fun negotiations.
