NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not only agreed to speak at the NFLPA rookie symposium taking place on Wednesday, but he actually flew to Florida for the event on the same plane as DeMaurice Smith. Goodell and Smith have had a contentious relationship over the past few months thanks to the NFL lockout, but they are seemingly acting friendlier and friendlier as time goes by.
While Goodell's appearance at the NFLPA rookie symposium doesn't mean anything for the status of a new CBA, it is another positive sign. He and Smith seem to finally be on the same page, and even if they aren't just yet, four straight days of negotiations in Minnesota this week will hopefully clear up any disagreements between the two.
The negotiations taking place this week are by far the most important story relating to the CBA right now. The negotiations began today, and over the next few days important issues like the rookie wage scale and other things that still need to be ironed out will be discussed.
While these negotiations may not immediately produce a new CBA, the fact that they are even taking place is a great sign in the eyes of Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
"The main thing is that they're talking and being able to interact with each other," he said. "There was a point in time where there was nothing being said and we were just sitting back. Now, there's some interaction and it looks like there's some positive light at the end of the tunnel. We're looking forward to getting it done. I'm ready to get back on the field."
The general consensus at this point is that a lot of work still needs to be done to reach an agreement on a new CBA, but things are progressing toward a deal being done, which couldn't necessarily be said a month ago.