There will be no NFL lockout any time soon after players voted to approve the proposed collective bargaining agreement, putting the new deal in place for the next 10 years. In order for the proposal to pass, a majority of NFL players had to vote yes. The NFLPA announced Sunday that the final tally was 1,019 votes in favor of the CBA and 959 votes against it – so it was an extremely close race.
With the new CBA put in place, there will be a lot of changes. In addition to increased minimum salaries and a larger revenue share for players, the schedule and playoffs will be impacted, too. Starting in 2020, the postseason field will expand to 14 teams and beginning as early as 2021, the regular season will be 17 games with only three preseason games.
Here’s a quick list of the biggest changes this new CBA will bring:
- 17-game season, 3-game preseason starting no earlier than 2021
- 14-team playoff field
- 7 in each conference, only No. 1 seed gets first-round bye
- Higher minimum salaries
- Increased revenue share for players
- Only one tag (franchise or transition) can be used
- Reduced penalties for positive drug tests, with no suspensions
So, how does all of this affect the Rams? Let’s lay out what it means for L.A. in 2020 and beyond.
Can’t tag Littleton and Fowler
Les Snead said previously that he didn’t anticipate the Rams using the franchise tag this offseason, though he didn’t completely shut the door on that possibility. Cory Littleton and Dante Fowler Jr. were really the only two candidates for the tag, and before the new CBA was ratified, it would’ve been possible for the Rams to tag both, potentially in order to trade them.
That’s no longer an option. The Rams can only use one tag now, which means if they are going to franchise Littleton or Fowler, it’ll have to be one or the other.