There is a glimmer of hope in Washington, D.C. this afternoon where the NFL and NFLPA are meeting in a last-ditch effort to find some common ground before football as we know it grinds to a halt - be it in the form of a Lockout or the form of the NFLPA decertifying, making these talks the focal point of a courtroom drama.
CBA negotiations are ongoing between the NFL and NFLPA and acording to Adam Schefter's three sources, talks are heating up that an extension may be agreed upon, allowing the two sides to communicate after 11:59 pm EST, tonight. This extension ("stopping the clock", according to some pundits) wouldn't help either side get closer to reaching a deal, but it would ensure that talks continue and, hopefully, an agreement can be reached in the near future. The NFLPA has openly stated that they will decertify if no deal or extension is reached.
Doesn't mean it will happen, but owners pushing for an extension of talks. Players willing if owners make some concessions.
Adam Schefter
AdamSchefter
According to NFL.com, the extension could be signed and completed by this afternoon, at the earliest. There aren't any indications of how well the negotiations are going, at this point, and this news that the owners are pushing for an extension makes me think it's unlikely that a new CBA will be agreed upon today. On the other hand, if both sides can push this extension through the proper channels in one day, that should give us all a bit of confidence that the two sides are capable of working together.