New CBA Approved By NFL Players

CANTON (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – The players of the National Football League voted to approve the proposed CBA Saturday night which will go into effect at the start of the 2021 season.

The final vote tally, made up of roughly 79% of NFL players, ended with 1,019 saying yes and just 959 saying no. A new CBA means 10 years of labor peace for the NFL. The CBA will run until 2030.

Under the new CBA, the league will increase its season to 17 games, along with adding an extra AFC and NFC team to the playoffs. Only the top seed in both leagues would get a first round bye during wild card weekend.

Additionally, the active roster would expand from 46 to 48 players. Practice squads will also expand from 10 players to 12; that change however, will start now in 2020. It will then increase again in 2022, where NFL teams can have 14 players on their practice squad.

NFL teams will have to go about their off-season strategies a bit different this year due to the new CBA. Only one tag can be used this off-season, as opposed to in the past when organizations could use both franchise and transition tags. Higher minimum salaries will also go into effect this season.

Finally, the annual player revenue will increase, but not by much. The players share of 47% will raise to 48% with an opportunity to go up to 48.8% depending on a new league television deal.