Tag: NFL CBA

NFL, NFLPA change franchise tag deadline, affects key Cowboys free agents

The Dallas Cowboys will likely have to use the franchise tag on Dak Prescott or Amari Cooper. Changing the tag designation date is key

With free agency rapidly approaching, the Dallas Cowboys will have plenty of decisions to make regarding their roster for 2020. They have 25 unrestricted free agents, which will indeed cause for plenty of turnover from 2019.

The two most important free agents for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper, are both seeking long-term deals with the organization. Saturday evening, however, some important news broke that affects these two players specifically. The Cowboys have an additional 48 hours to decide what to do with either Prescott or Cooper or both if long-term deals aren’t reached.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL and NFLPA have delayed the designation date to apply the franchise tag from February 25 to February 27, and the end date from March 10 to March 12.

If a new CBA isn’t reached before the start of the new league year on March 18, which the players will likely vote on this week as the scouting combine takes place, teams will be able to use both the franchise or transition tags.

Teams now have two extra days to decide if they’re going to use the tags and who they’re going to use them on. The date of March 12 is key because it’s just four days prior to when the legal tampering period begins before the new league year on March 18.

Prescott will be the first domino to fall in this scenario and rightfully so, he’s a franchise quarterback. If a long-term deal for him isn’t reached, the Cowboys will undoubtedly use the franchise tag on him which comes in at about $26.8 million, far less than the $35 million per-year average that is currently the top of the quarterback market.

For Cooper, a franchise tag would run around $18 million, which is in the range of Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill, currently the third-highest paid receiver.

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News: Cowboys, NFL ready for combine, deal with no CBA

The Cowboys are the apple of a Top-1o pick’s eye, and Dez Bryant spied trying to work his way back.

Just days away from the NFL combine, one of the star quarterback prospects made headlines after saying he dreamed of playing his football with a star on his helmet. While it sounds interesting, the Cowboys most likely won’t be after a QB. Instead, Dallas may look at wide receiver, or offensive line, maybe. Inside are two articles that further dive into those two positions in the upcoming draft.

The combine brings focus to the draft, but teams are prepared for free agency, which begins about a month from now, March 18th. Among the many interesting free agents, there is a talented veteran DT, and a former WR that Cowboys’ fans are very familiar with. Plus, a breakdown of the potential free agency of current WR Amari Cooper.

The CBA is still huge news, as the owners have signed but the agreement isn’t yet suitable for the NFLPA. Learn more about the CBA, how far the two sides are apart, and how the agreement could impact Dallas’ offseason.

Tua Tagovailoa would choose to play for Cowboys if given the chance :: NBC Sports

When asked recently what situation he would most want to play for, NFL draft prospect Tua Tagovailoa gave an answer I think most of us could relate to. Unfortunately for Tua, as we stand today it doesn’t seem like he’ll get his wish.

Cowboys Should Target Released Defensive Tackle Damon Harrison :: InsideTheStar

It is no secret that the Cowboys will look to upgrade on the defensive line. Damon Harrison didn’t fit Marinelli’s mold of a defensive tackle, but the run stuffing 31 year-old could be a missing piece new coordinator Mike Nolan and this defense need.

NFL Draft 2020: Best offensive tackle prospects for Cowboys to consider :: Blogging The Boys

On the surface, the Cowboys are more than set an offensive tackle. However, their depth at the position leaves some to be desired, especially considering Tyron Smith’s health. Take a deeper look at the OT prospects in the upcoming draft.

Dez Bryant Works Out With Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes In Fort Worth :: CBS Fort Worth

Dez Bryant has been extremely vocal on wanting to return to the Dallas Cowboys. Today, in Fort Worth, he and the Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes got some practice reps in. Dez is doing all the right things to get a call from the Cowboys.

Spagnola: Staking Out List Of Priority Needs :: Dallas Cowboys

Longtime Cowboys’ writer Mickey Spagnola evaluates the Cowboys’ offseason and gives his list of priorities that the Cowboys should have. How does his list compare to yours?

Amari Cooper to be a free agent 2020: Top landing spots, projected contract, latest updates, rumors and more :: CBS Sports

The Cowboys would certainly love to re-sign Amari Cooper, but it isn’t always that easy. This article features the top contenders for Cooper, including the Cowboys, and determines what Cooper’s market value should be.

NFLPA will not vote, CBA progress holds Cowboys’ Prescott-Cooper flexibility hostage :: CowboysWire

The latest on some of the league’s biggest news, the CBA. Learn more about how close the agreement is, and some of the ways it could have an impact in Dallas.

Jeremiah, Brooks match WR prospects with teams in Reddit AMA :: NFL.com

A compilation of the 11 best questions from an online Q-and-A with two NFL Network draft analysts, Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks. The entire Q-and-A can be found here.

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NFLPA will not vote, CBA progress holds Cowboys’ Prescott-Cooper flexibility hostage

The CBA is close to be agreed on, how does this impact the Cowboys’ offseason?

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.

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.

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.

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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How the absence of a new CBA could dramatically alter the 2020 NFL offseason

“Final League Year” rules would leave many teams with difficult decisions.

For a brief moment, it looked like the NFL and the NFLPA were going to get these CBA negotiations over in a hurry. The league was going to get what it wanted (a 17-game season and expanded playoff field) and the players were going to get what they wanted (more money and relaxed testing for marijuana). Then the details of the league’s proposal were publicized, and it quickly became apparent that the two sides weren’t so close.

The owners were essentially asking many players to play those extra games for less money than they normally would make for a regular-season game. Here’s how the league explained it…

“Bonus payment of 1/17 of his paragraph 5 salary up to $250K to any player whose contract runs through a season when 17 games is played”

While some players would be getting their regular paycheck for that extra game, the higher-paid players would not. So it’s not a surprise that those higher-paid players weren’t huge fans of the deal. J.J. Watt tweeted this…

Which was liked by Russell Wilson…

And co-signed by Richard Sherman…

So, yeah, that deal is not getting approved by the players. What could that mean for this offseason? A whole lot actually! Let me explain…

When the last CBA expired, the NFL operated with no salary cap for the 2010 season. But it wasn’t just a Wild West situation. The league sent out a warning that any teams trying to game the system for future salary cap benefits would be punished. And that’s exactly what happened to the Cowboys and Redskins after both teams tried to take advantage of the uncapped year by structuring deals with most of the money coming during the 2010 season, which led to smaller cap hits in the following seasons.

In order to prevent that from happening again, the league implemented what a set of “Final League Year” rules. If the NFL and players association don’t come to an agreement over the next few weeks, those rules could have a major impact on how teams build their rosters this offseason.

Let’s take a look at those rules…

1. Teams are permitted to use both the franchise tag and transition tag

Under normal circumstances, NFL teams can only use one tag per offseason. In the Final League Year, that’s not going to be the case. This works out for a team like the Cowboys, who could theoretically use the franchise tag on Dak Prescott and use the transition tag on Amari Cooper. The transition tag allows a free agent to negotiate with other teams but his original team can choose to match the contract. It would receive two first-round picks from the player’s new team if it chose not to match the offer.

2. The 30% rule

While that first rule will help teams keep their top players on the roster, the 30% rule will make it difficult for teams with little cap space to sign their players to extensions. The rule prohibits teams from offering contracts that include an increase of more than 30% from a player’s 2020 base salary. Signing bonuses are not included in the calculation.

In other words … a team can’t give a player a contract that includes a 2020 base salary of $5 million and a base salary of $7.5 million the following season, as that would be a 50% increase. The max salary the team could offer that player in 2021 would be $6.5 million.

The 30% rule will affect a team like the Rams, who can’t afford to tag star linebacker Cory Littleton. Giving him an extension will also be difficult because they don’t have much cap space in 2020 and the 30% rule prevents them from giving him a lower salary in Year 1 before giving him a significant raise later on in the contract.

In order to fit Brandin Cooks’ contract under the cap in 2018, the Rams gave him both a roster bonus (which was guaranteed at signing) and an option bonus that would be paid in the second year of the contract (2019). An option bonus basically works the same as a signing bonus, only the player gets it in Year 2, so that first-year cap hit stays low. Cooks’ cap hit was just $5.4 million in 2018 but jumped to $15.3 million in 2019.

Here’s the problem: For the 30% rule, roster and option bonuses are included when calculating a player’s base salary. So while Cooks’ base salary actually decreased from $4 million in 2018 to $1 million 2019, his contract would not have been compliant with the 30% rule because of the $12.9 million he made in option and roster bonuses in 2019.

Unless a new CBA is signed between now and the start of free agency, the Rams will almost assuredly have to let one of their best players hit the open market.

3. No June 1 cuts/trades

With a CBA in place, teams would be able to designate players as June 1 cuts, which would move a portion of that player’s dead money charge to the following season. Welp, not in the Final League Year. If a team wants to cut a player, the full dead money charge will apply to the 2020 season regardless of when the transaction is made.

Let’s use Sammy Watkins as an example. He has a 2020 cap hit of $21 million, but only $7 million of that is guaranteed. In past years, the Chiefs could declare him a June 1 cut, which would be split his dead money in two and spread it out over two seasons. So a $3.5 million charge in 2020 and another in 2021. With no June 1 option, Kansas City will be forced to accept the full $7 million charge this season.

The June 1 rule applies to trades as well.

So without a CBA, teams may be less inclined to cut or trade a player with a lot of dead money left on his deal.

4. In-season incentives are counted against the cap immediately

Performance-based incentives fall into one of two categories: “Likely to be earned” and “Not likely to be earned.” The former counts against the salary cap as soon as the league year begins. The latter isn’t counted toward the cap until after the season.

Before we get into what’s different for the Final League Year, here’s how incentives are categorized:

Let’s say a player’s contract includes a bonus for playing at least 14 games. The league uses the previous season to determine whether or not that bonus is likely to be earned. If that player played in 13 games the previous season, it’s considered “not likely to be earned.” Had he played in 14 games the previous season, it would be considered a “likely to be earned” incentive.

If a player earns an NLTBE bonus, the team doesn’t have to account for the increase in pay until after the season, so teams can use those bonuses to give players more money without it costing them short-term cap space. Meanwhile, likely to be earned bonuses count against the cap at the start of the league year. Teams receive a cap credit if the player fails to earn the bonus.

In the Final League Year, a team must fit NLTBE bonuses as soon as they are earned. Teams will have to keep salary-cap space open just in case.

Let’s use A.J. Green as an example. A team could offer him a $5 million bonus if he plays in 8 games during the 2020 season. If he’s healthy, that’s a benchmark he’s definitely going to reach; but for salary cap purposes, it’s considered not likely to be earned, so it wouldn’t count against a team’s cap until after the season. In the Final League Year, if a team offers Green that money, they’ll have to keep that $5 million is space available throughout the season.

So basically all bonuses have to be treated as if they’re likely to be earned, giving teams less cap flexibility before and during the season.

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If there was a No. 7 seed, the Bears would’ve made the playoffs in 2011 and 2012

With the proposed new CBA, there would be a No. 7 seed in each conference. When it comes to the Bears, things could’ve been much different.

One of the changes with the NFL’s proposed new collective bargaining agreement is that the playoff teams will expand from 12 to 14. That means there would be seven playoff spots up for grabs in each conference.

Obviously that changes things moving forward in the NFL with a presumed third wild card team in the mix. But how would it have impacted the league over the last decade?

When it comes to the Bears, things could’ve been much different. First off, their

If the Bears made the playoffs in those three consecutive seasons (2010-2012), Lovie Smith would’ve retained his job as head coach, which means we would’ve escaped the Marc Trestman era. It also makes you believe that general manager Jerry Angelo would’ve survived for another couple of seasons with three consecutive playoff berths.

What about quarterback Jay Cutler? Would his entire trajectory with the Bears have been shifted with two additional playoff appearances? Cutler missed the final six games of the 2011 season with a broken right thumb. But Smith was confident Cutler would return in time for the playoffs.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know for sure how having a seventh playoff spot would’ve affected the Bears. But perhaps it’ll help them moving forward in the future — that is, if the NFLPA approves the new CBA.

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How proposed new CBA fifth-year option could affect Bears with Mitchell Trubisky

The NFL is proposing a new collective bargaining agreement, which would change the current fifth-year option and impact Mitchell Trubisky.

There are a slew of changes that would come with the NFL’s proposed new collective bargaining agreement. From a 17-game regular season to 14 playoff teams, there are several changes in the new CBA up for vote by the NFL Players Association after NFL owners agreed to terms.

One of those changes is regarding the fifth-year option for first-round rookies. While the current fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only, the new proposal would have the option guaranteed in full — only the amount of the option would be dependent on a player’s performance rather than draft position.

Now, this could impact the Bears this season, as this would go into effect if the new CBA is agreed upon.

So let’s take a look at exactly what that would mean for Mitchell Trubisky, who still hasn’t had his fifth-year option picked up by the Bears.

  • Trubisky’s fifth-year option would be fully guaranteed, not for injury only
  • It would cost the Bears less money than it would right now (roughly $24 million on current CBA)
  • The Bears have until May to pick up Trubisky’s fifth-year option

The goal is to hit on your first-round selection and sign an extension instead of the fifth-year option. But that hasn’t been the case for the Bears.

Trubisky struggled mightily in his third season, where the entire offense was on life support. Still, the Bears gave up a lot — and passed on two star quarterbacks — to draft Trubisky at No. 2. So it’s not enough for Trubisky to be okay. He needs to be great. And unfortunately at this point, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

If this new CBA proposal goes through, you have to wonder if the Bears will forgo Trubisky’s fifth-year option. Either they part ways with him after next season or, by some miracle, sign him to an extension.

Chicago also picked up outside linebacker Leonard Floyd’s fifth-year option last offseason, and they currently have until the start of the new league year on March 18 to cut him. If not, his $13.2 million salary becomes fully guaranteed.

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2015 Jets would’ve made playoffs under new CBA proposal

Under the new CBA, the Jets would’ve made the playoffs in 2015.

If only the 2015 New York Jets could’ve played under the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement proposal.

The league proposed a new CBA this week that includes a revamped playoff format. Under the proposal, the playoffs would include a seventh team in each conference. The No. 1 seed in each conference would get home field advantage and a first-round bye.

If this playoff structure was in place during the 2015 season, the Jets would’ve made the playoffs with a 10-6 record. In that case, the Jets would’ve faced the New England Patriots on the road. In reality, they missed the playoffs by one disastrous game.

Following an upset victory over the Patriots in Week 16 that year, all the Jets had to do was beat Rex Ryan’s lowly Bills in Week 17. However, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions in a 22-17 loss, thus eliminating the Jets from playoff contention.

That 2015 team that fell short ended up being the best squad of Todd Bowles’ tenure with the Jets. It was his first season as a head coach and Fitzpatrick had the best year of his career to go along with a strong defense.

Years later, the proposed new playoff structure would only help the Jets going forward. With an extra team in the playoffs, it’s easier to make the postseason than it is under the current format. Obviously, the Jets would still have to have a decent record to get in and they haven’t done that in a while.

Nothing is set in stone with the playoff format yet, as the players have to agree to the NFL’s new CBA proposal. For Gang Green fans eagerly awaiting a playoff appearance, though, it’s easy to see why they could get behind it.

Allen Robinson reacts to proposed new CBA: ‘Rip it up’

The NFLPA is set to vote on the proposed new CBA. And if Bears WR Allen Robinson’s reaction is any indication, it doesn’t sound good.

NFL owners approved terms for a proposed new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association in New York on Thursday.

This proposed new CBA includes two big changes — a longer regular season and an expanded playoff format.

Under the new CBA, the regular season would expand to 17 games within the next few years. The playoffs would also expand from 12 teams to 14 teams, and that change could happen as quickly as next season.

All that’s left is for the NFLPA to vote upon it. And if Bears receiver Allen Robinson’s reaction is any indication, it doesn’t look like the proposed new CBA is going to sit well among players.

One of the new controversial revisions involves compensation for that extra regular season game, considering players have signed contracts for 16-game schedules.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, players would get an extra check for that game. But here’s the kicker, it would be capped at $250,000, which means a huge pay-cut for some higher paid players.

Obviously, Robinson was not pleased. And it figures that a majority of the league will feel the same way.

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NFL owners approve new CBA, but the players might not be in lockstep

NFL owners have put together a proposal they believe will result in a new decade of labor peace, but we’re not there just yet.

All 32 NFL owners met at the Conrad Hotel in New York City on Thursday to vote on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which they did in a positive sense. Multiple reports indicate that the owners’ vote was not unanimous, but enough owners were on board to get the job done.

“Following more than ten months of intensive and thorough negotiations, the NFL Players and clubs have jointly developed a comprehensive set of new and revised terms that will transform the future of the game, provide for players – past, present, and future – both on and off the field, and ensure that the NFL’s second century is even better and more exciting for the fans,” the league said in a statement.

“The membership voted today to accept the negotiated terms on the principal elements of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Players Association would also need to vote to approve the same terms for there to be a new agreement.

“Since the clubs and players need to have a system in place and know the rules that they will operate under by next week, the membership also approved moving forward under the final year of the 2011 CBA if the players decide not to approve the negotiated terms. Out of respect for the process and our partners at the NFLPA, we will have no further comment at this time.”

The NFLPA’s executive council will have a conference call on Friday to discuss the terms with the player representatives. If two-thirds of the player representatives approve the deal, it then goes to a vote for all NFL players, and a simple majority is all that’s needed to put the new CBA forward in that case.

One of the primary points of contention over the last few years as both sides have looked to keep the labor peace the NFL has enjoyed since the current CBA was ratified in 2011 is the prospect of a 17-game schedule. Some player reps have said that they absolutely do not want a CBA with a 17-game schedule, but the additional money involved in the extra regular-season game may be too much to refuse.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out, NFL players would go from a 47% share of all revenue under the current CBA to a 48% share in the new deal at 16 games, and then to 48.5% share everyone’s in agreement 17 games, which shifts $5 billion of revenue to players’ side.

In addition, both sides are excited about a new CBA because that revenue pool will expand with new television deals that will be struck in the new decade. In giving a higher percentage and a bigger pie to the players, the owners clearly believe they’ve opposition-proofed their proposal.

Here’s one thing that could get in the way: As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports, the owners are proposing that all players who play in all 17 regular-season games but have contracts covering 16 games would be paid extra for the additional game, but that the extra game check would be capped at $250,000. The NFLPA would be likely to balk at anything less than a percentage equivalent to 1/17th of every player’s base salary. Under his current contract, for example, Rams quarterback Jared Goff has a 2020 cash contract value of $31,042,682. Dividing that by 17 would still put Goff in the neighborhood of $1.826 million for an extra game check. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has a 2020 cash contract value $39.383 million, and 1/17th of that comes out as $2.317 million — almost 10 times what the league proposes. A cap of $250,000 isn’t going to wash with any of the league’s highest-paid players, nor should it.

While all the wrinkles are not yet known, the expansion of the regular season and adding a seventh playoff team to each conference does add complications to potential player snaps, and thus, an increased potential for injury. The NFLPA would likely want expanded rosters and other considerations to offset this factor.

Per multiple reports, the owners are also offering higher spending floors per team, relaxed offseason rules, updates to the drug and discipline policies, and higher minimum salaries. Now that the owners have taken their steps toward labor peace with a quickness, we’ll see how the players react.

Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar previously covered football for Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, the Washington Post, and Football Outsiders. His first book, “The Genius of Desperation,” a schematic history of professional football, was published by Triumph Books in 2018 and won the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Nelson Ross Award for “Outstanding recent achievement in pro football research and historiography.”

Proposed playoff changes would have been a positive for the Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens would have gotten into the playoffs in 2017 with a 9-7 record had they played under the newly proposed NFL CBA for 2020

The NFL and NFLPA have been working hard at the negotiating table on a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA runs out after the 2020 season, making a new deal imperative for both the league and players to avoid a potential work stoppage.

Among the potential changes coming to the NFL is a change in the playoff format. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a current proposal has the NFL playoffs expanding from six teams to seven and would begin as early as the 2020 season.

While the Baltimore Ravens had no trouble getting into the playoffs last season, earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 14-2 record, they would have benefitted previously. Back in 2017, the Ravens finished seventh in the AFC with a 9-7 record, which under the new CBA proposal would have been enough to lock up a playoff spot.

However, the flip side is that last season would have seen the Pittsburgh Steelers slide into the postseason with an 8-8 record after losing to Baltimore’s backups in Week 17. With only one bye being proposed under the new CBA, the Steelers would have faced off against the No. 2 seed Kansas City Chiefs.

With the Ravens looking like the cream of the crop in the AFC for the near future, the expanded playoffs likely won’t have much effect on their chances. However, it could give them a lesser opponent in the first round and help them get on a roll.

Let us know what you think about the new proposed playoff rules.

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