CBA passes; barely; free agency still on hold … The vote is in and the NFL players voted to accept the new CBA which includes a 17-game season and expanded players. It wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement as only 51.5% of the players voted in favor of the deal, but it was just enough to get it passed. Needless to say, though, given circumstances on the ground around the globe, but it isn’t exactly full speed ahead for the league. Indeed, now that the CBA has been accepted, the NFL and its Players Association are discussing the possibility of delaying the start of free agency which is set to get underway next week. In fact, the legal tampering window during which potential free agents can negotiate with all teams is scheduled to open tomorrow with free agents able to officially sign contracts when the new league year starts on Wednesday. There is actually nothing physically stopping the start of free agency; players just would not be able to visit team facilities, many of which are closed, However, the league is concerned about the optics of signing multi-million dollar contracts with the rest of the world wondering if their food supplies are going to run out. On the other hand, with just about everything else shut down and the world pretty much housebound, a little entertainment to take people’s minds off their real-world concerns might not be the worst idea.
