With 'Strong Differences' Remaining, NFL, Union to Continue Talks Next Week

Seven straight days of labor talks in Washington failed to yield a new NFL labor deal, but the sides will keep talking.

Well, the good news for the NFL is that the owners and players got through seven days of discussions in front of a federal mediator without anybody storming out of the room. The bad news is that they didn't solve anything. Talks ended in Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning and will resume Tuesday in the office of mediator George H. Cohen, but Cohen's statement didn't indicate much reason to hope a March 4 lockout could be averted.

"At bottom, some progress was made, but very strong differences remain on the all-important core issues that separate the parties," Cohen said. "Nonetheless, I have recommended and the parties have agreed to resume the mediation process in my office commencing next Tuesday (March 1). During the intervening weekend, the parties have been asked by us to assess their current positions on those outstanding issues."

No one from either side has commented on the talks since Cohen became involved a week ago, so at this point there's no indication where the progress to which he refers was made. The more important part of his statement is about the differences that remain on the core issues. It's possible the sides have had productive discussions on things like rookie wage scale and 18-game season without coming close to settling the issue of how to divide league revenue. And until they do that, there's no deal to be done.

"Our time together has been devoted to establishing an atmosphere conducive to meaningful negotiations and, of course, matters of progress and substance," Cohen's statement read. "I can report that throughout this extensive period the parties engaged in highly focused, constructive dialogue concerning a host of issues covering both economics and player-related conditions. The tenor of the across-the-table discussions reflected a noteworthy level of mutual respect even in the face of strongly held competing positions."

The current collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight next Thursday, and if no deal is reached by then the union has said it expects the owners to impose a lockout. That would mean no free agency and no off-season workouts until the new deal is done.