If NFL owners are going to get their wish of an 18-game regular season, the players’ union wants concessions including two bye weeks, more players on the roster and more money.
Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the NFL Players Association has told the owners it wants the following concessions if there’s going to be an 18-game season:
• No more than five weeks of voluntary offseason workouts.
• Significantly reduced contact at training camp.
• Two bye weeks.
• Expanding rosters from 53 players to 56 or 57.
• A prorated increase in salaries for players already under contract.
• Fewer games needed for players to qualify for post-career benefits.
“We have responded to every one of the league’s proposals and concerns in an effort to keep negotiations progressing in good faith,” union spokesman George Atallah said. “There are obvious concerns about an 18-game season in the absence of real information that we await.”
The NFL reportedly wants to increase rosters to 54 players, not 56 or 57, and would prefer to have a 19-week regular season rather than the 20-week season the union is proposing.