Last week, the NFL and NFLPA were so far apart on negotiations regarding a new collective bargaining agreement that a future meeting was canceled. No meetings for this week were originally scheduled, which was obviously not a good sign with the CBA expiring in two weeks.

On Thursday, we got a sign of progress, as the two sides agreed to meet for seven consecutive days. What's more, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to bring in a mediator to help with negotiations. While a mediator has no legal power and is there simply to mediate (as opposed to an arbitrator), at least it looks like the two parties are trying to make some progress.

There is no guarantee that the league and union will meet for all seven of the scheduled days, but the meetings kicked off on Friday. Neither side had anything public to say following the meeting (they are attempting to stay true to a media blackout), so it's not clear if any progress was made. Even so, at least the meeting happened. A deal won't be reached unless negotiations continue, so this is a necessary step toward something getting done, even if an agreement is a ways away.