With free agency starting in less than a month, the NFL Players Association and the owners are trying to close the loop on one big piece of legislation.
A version of the new collective bargaining agreement was signed by the owners earlier this week. If the NFL Players Association follows suit and agrees to the proposed agreement in the next few weeks, the entire landscape of the 2020 offseason will drastically change, especially for the Dallas Cowboys. The NFLPA executive council voted 6-5 in favor of not signing the deal, but the 32 player’s representative and the body of players at large can still vote. For now, they’ve decided not to, however.
The NFLPA's board of representatives is no longer planning to vote today on the proposed CBA, source said. Instead, the board and NFLPA executive committee hope to meet soon with the NFL Management Council Executive Committee and vote thereafter.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 21, 2020
Among the myriad of league-wide issues related to a new labor agreement (revenue distribution, rules, safety standards, benefits), a new CBA would have a direct impact on the Cowboys’ ability to retain their most notable free agents, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper.
The first CBA was agreed on in 1968, and the last one was 2011. In the 2011 CBA it was stated that this upcoming season, the 2020-21 season would be the “final league year” of the current CBA. This designation is important because the final league year has a few different rules than the other league years of the past CBA.
If no agreement on the new CBA is met before the official start of free agency and the 2020 league year (March 18), then the league would enact the “final league year” rules.
This would allow every team the use of two tags, the franchise tag and the transition tag. Here is a breakdown in the difference of the two tags.
This is probably the most consequential outcome for this year: If the players approve, two tags turn into just one. Huge news for the #Cowboys, #Bucs, #Titans and others. https://t.co/GqA7gtIcx7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 20, 2020
How This Changes the Cowboys’ Offseason
Dallas fans’ know all too well about the Prescott and Cooper contract negotiations. In a pivotal Cowboys’ offseason those two players, as well as Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones, and many others are set to become free agents.
Most believe it was no secret the Cowboys’ were fully prepared to franchise tag one of Prescott and Cooper, and transition tag the other, at least giving them the right of refusal if there was an offer sheet extended from another club.
If a new CBA agreement had been reached, teams would only have one tag at their disposal again, either or, not both. That is now all in flux as with the non-vote, it does not appear there will be a vote prior to the onset of the tag window opening on February 25. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson, a vote could still be in the works in time, as the reps are planning to meet with the owners at next week’s combine.
As @AdamSchefter reported, the #NFLPA player reps will not vote today. From what I have been told, all 32 player reps will attempt to travel to Indianapolis to meet with #NFL owners at the combine to discuss this CBA. I've been told a vote could happen as early as next Tuesday.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) February 21, 2020
Players hope to be able to go back to the owners and continue negotiations. Owners on Thursday indicated they would not be amenable to that. Players decided to call their bluff. We will see whether they were bluffing. https://t.co/ElIxcfYKg4
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 21, 2020
Now the question is, if a new deal is reached after that point, what happens if a team like the Cowboys has tagged two players? Will the delay now grandfather in any of those decisions for the 2020 season?
It seemed somewhat clear if the Cowboys and Prescott can’t agree on terms soon that the one tag available would be used on Prescott, and the team would continue negotiating a multi-year deal while the franchise tag keeps Prescott from getting free agency.
Previously, if Dallas and Cooper could not come to terms before free agency technically starts, Dallas wasn’t worried at all as they could then use the 2nd tag on Cooper, and retain him for at least another year, or a few more months while they continue negotiating. Without the “final league year” rules and the extra tag it seems likely that Cooper will hit the open market for some time, even if he returns to Dallas.
Due to the fact that Dallas would prefer to sign Prescott long term and tag one of Cooper or Byron Jones, this loss of a tag would only give Prescott more leverage over the team.
Now, it’s back to square one.
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