NFL News & Rumors Digest

Reuters

So what did today’s meeting between a handful of players and their legal representatives mean?

We’re told, by a reliable source (as opposed to our usual unreliable sources), that the lawyers are hoping to persuade the players not to roll over in talks with the owners.

“Rolling over,” of course, is in the eye of the beholder.  And the beholders in this case are the lawyers, mainly Jeffrey Kessler and Jim Quinn.  If they do not like where issues are headed, appear for more leaks along the lines of the Osi Umenyiora affidavit that curiously emerged soon after Kessler and Quinn were kicked out of the negotiating room a second time.

The issue is that, by all appearances, a lot more and much more players want to get a deal accomplished.  If/when it appears that progress has stopped and the start off of the standard season is in jeopardy, a revolt remains doable.  In the end, a revolt could be essential lawyers function for their clients, and at times the lawyers want to be reminded of that truth, in no uncertain terms.

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Last month, the law firm of Barnes &amp Thornburg hoped to represent a group of players who wanted to intervene in the Tom Brady antitrust lawsuit.  Those hopes were dashed by a conflict of interest that the NFL declined to waive.

But the effort to round up players who would intervene in the antitrust action continues.

Per a source with understanding of the scenario, the Cafferty Faucher firm, with offices in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Ann Arbor, has been attempting to recruit players to intervene in the pending action.  Cafferty Faucer is the firm that the Associated Press erroneously identified last month as the firm that was unable to proceed due to a conflict of interest.

Per the source, a Cafferty Faucher lawyer has called at least 1 NFL agent in the hopes of representing one or far more of the agent’s clients.  The lawyer did not respond to an e-mail from PFT providing an chance to respond, to dispute the contention, and/or to clarify the situation.

It remains to be observed no matter whether any players will attempt to intervene in the pending litigation.  The reality that no player has publicly voiced concern concerning the handling of the lawsuit suggests that, to date, no other players are willing to complicate an already complex scenario in a manner that could give the owners some extra leverage.

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Players were met by what they called “excessive” security Thursday when they arrived at the Tennessee Titans practice facility when they attempted to report under a federal judge’s ruling to lift the NFL lockout. Two armed off-duty police officers in uniform joined the Titans director of security, Steve Berk, at the only open side gate to the facility Thursday.

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The NFL has asked a federal judge to keep its lockout in place, saying there are no legal grounds to stop it and accusing the players of trying to manipulate the law.

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John Elway says the Denver Broncos are trying to re-sign perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey four months after the team withdrew an extension offer he was about to sign. In a series of tweets Thursday, the Broncos chief of football operations said the team is engaged in constructive conversations with Bailey’s representatives about keeping the 32-year-old star in orange and blue.

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