A week from today, NFL owners are scheduled to meet in Chicago. The meeting wasn't too noteworthy before today, but Adam Schefter reports that the owners are being told to pack for an overnight stay in Chicago. It may mean nothing, but combined with the recent buzz from labor talks, speculation suggests the owners could vote on a new collective bargaining agreement while in Chicago, hence the need to pack for two days of meetings.
Of course, even if the owners do vote on a new CBA, there's no guarantee it will be passed. 24 owners would have to approve it for the labor issue to finally be resolved. I suppose even if it didn't pass, the fact that the talks may be progressing enough to get to the point of a vote would be a good sign.
If the Chicago meeting doesn't include a vote on a new CBA or a new CBA isn't passed, the next scheduled owners meeting is July 20 in Detroit, according to Albert Breer. He says the meeting is only tentatively scheduled, so the hope is obviously for things to be resolved in Chicago, making the Detroit meeting unnecessary.
By July 20, let's hope the NFL is busy getting ready for the start of training camp and talk of the lockout or the lack of a CBA is in the past. By the end of next month, the last thing I want to still be talking about is the labor dispute.