This can’t be the first time Broncos officials have been waiting on players.
Over the years, a Broncos boss has waited for a player to make his flight, sign a contract, meet the press, start a meeting, catch the team bus or get back for curfew.
So why wait now for a stinking players vote on the new collective bargaining agreement?
A large Broncos contingent will be in Atlanta today with the idea of studying and voting on a new CBA that would end the NFL’s four-month lockout and allow the league to begin conducting its business. Although the NFL’s 32 player representatives, including Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, delayed a formal vote to ratify the CBA on Wednesday, the expectation is that a labor settlement will be reached soon — possibly today.
Once that settlement is reached, the Broncos will be busy. They must sign nine draft picks, up to 15 undrafted rookies and four to seven veteran free agents. That’s about 30 contracts in less than a week’s time.
Step one: Install an extra fax line or two at Dove Valley team headquarters.
No wonder Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, president Joe Ellis and general counsel Rich Slivka already were in Atlanta on Tuesday to review details of the CBA that is all but finalized. Bowlen has been absent from most of the negotiating sessions even though he is co-chair of the labor committee. That he has joined the summation meeting in Atlanta is a sure sign a labor settlement is near.
Joining Bowlen’s group today will be John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations, general manager Brian Xanders and Mike Bluem, the team’s salary cap and contract guru.
The players gave conditional approval to the CBA, pending resolution of the antitrust lawsuit against the league. Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller is one of 10 players named as plaintiffs in that lawsuit. The others include star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.
“My portion of the lawsuit regarded the rookie scale and we’ve already reached an agreement on the rookie topic,” Miller said Wednesday. “I’m just sitting here in College Station waiting for the lockout to end. As soon as the lockout is lifted, I’ll be there.”
The Broncos are hoping the CBA can be finalized no later than the weekend so they can arrange to have their players officially report to training camp for the first team meeting conducted by new coach John Fox on Wednesday.
Miller will have to be under contract before he can report to that meeting — and for the first training camp workout that tentatively is scheduled for next Thursday morning.
Details of how contracts for first-round draft picks can be negotiated are one reason Xanders and Bluem will be in Atlanta today.
Whether Fox can have a second practice next Thursday, and to what extent the players can block and tackle during a second practice, is one of the many new procedures Elway and Xanders must review.
The Broncos are scheduled to play their preseason opener Aug. 11 at Dallas — two weeks after the start of training camp.
Their first regular-season game is Sept. 12 against the Oakland Raiders in a Monday night game at Invesco Field.
Once ratified, the new CBA will increase the owners’ share of all NFL revenue from about 50 percent to approximately 52 percent. The players’ cut will drop from 50 to 48 percent. The new CBA will lower the owners’ investment risk, thanks to a rookie wage scale that will reduce the payouts for such top draft picks as Miller by 50 percent.
In return, the players will receive greater safety pre-cautions, including fewer offseason workouts, and less contact during practices throughout the season.
But first, the players have to formally vote to approve the new CBA. The owners aren’t expected to wait.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
