The next step for the Players Union and the NFL looks to be a collusion charge. Now I am not a lawyer, and I don’t even play one on TV, but this will be a legal case made by circumstantial evidence. The NFLPA will have to show a Judge enough circumstantial things to prove that the league and its 32 franchises worked together to keep players salaries. While there is some evidence, and some things that make us say Uhmm, I don’t think this is a winnable case for the union.
They will argue that many teams say that cannot doll out big time free agent dollars with the 2011 season in serious doubt. Of course some other teams have gone ahead and made signings, and resigned players to big time contracts. The Union will argue that only one restricted free agent player was signed, and that this absolutely means the 32 teams and the league had an improper agreement to freeze out some free agent dollars. The problem there is the apperance of collusion does not mean this is a winnable case.
The Union will also argue that there were a few questionable trades, which due to the weirdness of the uncapped 2010 season helped teams avoid paying more money to their 2010 NFL draft picks. This is where there is at least some tangible proof. Teams traded 2010 draft picks, and then they were cut, and that not only looks and smell like collusion, but may very well actually be.
The most troubling set of facts here is there are many sources that have said many teams did not pursue restricted free agents for fear of being dressed down at league meetings last spring. If that is true, and can be proven collusion may be a very real threat.
Related Links:
•The Business of the NFL •Joshua Lobdell.com
