Adam Schefter has tweeted that the NFL owners and players have agreed to extend the NFL CBA expiration deadline an additional seven days. This creates a new expiration time of midnight eastern next Friday. Wash, rinse, repeat as we get to go through this whole process all over again. If you're look for an extremely optimistic view on this, I'd say Michael Silver at Yahoo! presents that viewpoint.
Plenty of folks are just wanting a deal done, but for now this is at least a positive step forward. While this doesn't mean the two sides are particularly close on an agreement, it would seem to indicate the two sides think they can get sufficiently close in the next week. This doesn't guarantee anything will get done in the next week, but there is an impression that it could get done. While that's not as good as actually getting something done, it's better than nothing, right?
That last paragraph made little to no sense. Here's a second stab at it. This is a positive step forward for both sides. The sides could still have a ways to go but this would seem to indicate they think further negotiations can get them closer. I wouldn't be surprised if negotiations this week led to an additional extension seven days from now. I'd like a deal sooner rather than later, but as long as they continue negotiating and stay out of court the situation continue moving forward in a positive manner.
What really matters now is how they handle the next few days. We can assume things will go down to the wire again next week, but will they really just wait a few days and not work with a sense of urgency over the next three or four days? Will we just see procrastination over the next three or four days with things then picking up in the closing hours like we saw this week?