The NFL And Labor Peace

Here's Greg Skidmore at Sports Law Blog on the future of labor relations in the NFL:

I have to believe that in some future negotiation, the players are going to fight for guaranteed contracts. The NFL is the only professional league that does not guarantee its contracts. Signing bonuses are guaranteed, and players can negotiate for a guarantee (like Shawn Alexander has done), but typically, an NFL team can cut a player for almost any reason and not be on the hook for the player's salary. (NOTE: The amount still counts against the salary cap, even if the team does not have to pay it.)

For obvious reasons, many players do not like this. This is the main issue behind Terrell Owens' dispute with the Eagles -- why should he have to honor his contract if the team does not have to? Owens' new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has attracted many new clients with this philosophy -- enough that other players may start caring about the issue of guarantees. As one player said, "Drew is doing far more for us than our own union." (See Cole, "Hardball football agent," Mia. Herald, 07/17/05).

Here's a prediction: If the players make guaranteed contracts a non-negotiable item in the next labor negotiation, I can see the NFL owners threatening a lockout.

Check in again with Greg tomorrow for his look at MLB's labor future.

Eric 07:25 AM

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Posted by: at July 28, 2005 05:24 PM

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