Chiefs: A New CBA, What’s the Big Deal? – Summary Sheet of the Proposed CBA
Below find a fact sheet from Darren Heitner of what the CBA contained as it was proposed
Here’s the full NFL CBA proposal fact sheet sent out to players and agents tonight pic.twitter.com/QUtSbvN02C
— Master (@MasterTes) February 21, 2020
My observations below are extracted components that are contained in the NEW CBA, garnered from various sites and tweets (incomplete, but the major aspects are detailed).
My observations about the New CBA are:
1. Roster Changes:
o game day roster goes from 46 – to – 48 players
o 53 man roster is now set at 55
o Teams may return 3 players from the IR
o Practice squad players increase from 10 – to – 12 in 2020 and 2021
o Practice squad goes from 12 – to -14 in 2022.
o Teams can elevate from PS to Active Roster, 2 players per week (It was only 1)
o Players can be returned to the PS without risking the player to waiver
o Offensive Linemen: This one is a bit nebulous to me but this Part of the Roster provisions relates to Offensive linemen as teams see their roster numbers increase by 1 offensive lineman. This means that with the active roster increase, the number of offensive linemen designated will increase by 1. I don’t know if the limit is set at 9 now or not but I think so which would make the total possible linemen on the active roster of 46 to be 10. Apparently this addition relates to the assignment of personnel but that active roster player would only be active if the player who precedes him is injured during a game. This would mean that of the 46 active players for a game, only 45 can play unless an offensive lineman is injured so if there are a starter, his #1 backup, the way that this lineman could play is if the player in front of him is injured during a game. There was a game where Chiefs linemen were injured and a designated player who was a hands player would have been next in line so for example, Sherman or Kelce.
2. 17 game Schedule
Begins in 2021; It restructures the season and also reduces the Pre-Season to 3 games.
3. CBA Implementation
The CBA Begins in 2020 not 2021. It expires in 2030
4. Post-season teams
7 teams will now make post season play in each Conference.
5. Playoff Bye
There will be only one Bye issued for each Conference; this increases the difficulty of reaching the conference championship and the Super Bowl for all but one team in each conference, hence the importance of total wins each season, not just winning the a division title. It also increases the emphasis on late in season games.
6. The New CAP Number
The lower than estimated $200m cap space came in lower at $198.2M. This gives the Chiefs an available cap space: $18.4m (Tagging Jones can be as much as 16.2) so big cuts are inevitable(See my cuts above).
7. Game 17 on the Schedule
Player Payment from the CBA states that the pay is up to $250k for week 17 max. Vets aren’t going to be happy at that if they make over $2.5m in salary.
8. Revenue Split
The Players gain 1.5% of revenue increasing their take from 47% to 48.5%.
9. Team Funding
There is a guaranteed Team Funding increase to $17m from $15m.
10. Medical Benefits
Change and are increased. For example, the number of Hospitals assigned at various locations providing expert care. Current and Former Player benefits are increased, especially the HRA component. Also the Player protection from injury is expanded. Benefits include former players but all of them have expanded coverage such as no cost physicals, preventive care, mental health evaluation and counseling, out patient orthopedic services are expanded and so on. Coverage of common surgeries is being added and expanded during the term of the CBA.
11. Drug testing
There are reduced fines and penalties with high thresholds for testing positive for drug use. The number of Players who are tested is systematic already but the occasions are reduced. There is no suspension for testing positive for Cannabis. I don’t know about hard drugs(I hope not).
12. “Familiar Free Agency” Continues
I don’t know what alterations exist but this is the “right of First Refusal” and I need to see where this stands.
13. and 14.The Rookie wage scale increases and Minimum Salaries Increase
#CS = Years of Credited Service
15. Franchise tags
I don’t think this has changed but we will know more soon. This does have applicability to the Chiefs due to the Chris Jones Free Agency and Tag(unofficial still).
16. Training camp rules are adjusted
There is to be a new five-day acclimation period. Full speed in-pads practice is limited to 2.5 hours and there is a limit of 16 full speed in-pads practice days of 16 days. The required time at the practice facility is set(don’t know the number of hours. Practice is limited to 3 consecutive days during a total of five weeks. There is a three day week-end requirement at the end of camp. Two days off each week prior to that. There are two day weekends when 17 games are implemented in the schedule, two days off the first week and one day in every seven after. There can only be 4 joint practices with players from other teams(see 3 pre-season games schedule).
17. Player Benefits
Active players
o Pension increase of 10%
o 401K matching contribution increased to $30K, annual increases thereafter
o Annuity increased to $110K per year; increasing by $15K every other year
o Tuition reimbursement: increases for active and former players
o Life Insurance
o HRA increased to $35K with increases thereafter of to $50K per season, with overall limit increasing from $350K to $450K
o Adding vision coverage to healthcare plan
o Injury Protection of 100% of salary up to $2.0M and Extended Injury Protection of 100% of salary up to $1.0M
o Termination Pay: Increase in mid-season signing benefit to 35% of remaining salary or two weeks salary at the applicable minimum salary amount; right to collect a second time in some instances
o Practice Squad players eligible for $5K of tuition benefits/year and 401K with $1500 match
Former Players
o Retroactive increase to $550 per month for all pre-2012 vested players
o Expand pension eligibility to all former players with three credited seasons
o Establish a $50,000 HRA for vested veterans with no HRA
o Creation of new network of hospitals in each team city for former players to receive no cost physicals, preventative care, mental health counseling, and out-patient orthopedic services. Coverage of common surgeries to be phased in during course of deal.
Summation
I still have not seen the official release of information about he new CBA from the NFL.
The terms and conditions related to the basic CBA 2020 remain the same from what I am able to gather. New conditions are detailed and we know about the ‘Drug testing and use’ changes with at least a minimal amount detail.
I have a copy of the CBA 2011 if anyone is interested.
I personally think the Active roster should be something beyond 50 and the practice squad number should exceed 20 player with specific and upgraded remuneration. Still, the gains are significant. I think the player protection component is crucial as injuries sustained when you are in your twenties are going to have an effect on your future health as many will be able to provide testimony to having suffered a malady at age 20 or 22 and its effect is felt despite treatment, 50 years later.
I am sure there are many more parts of the New CBA that should be added to a basic view. This is my initial gathering of information and my view and understanding of what the changes entail in the new CBA (2020). There is no official release of the NFL for public consumption available.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne