The NFL and NFLPA met earlier today in an undisclosed location (which turned out to be an unnamed hotel in NYC) to continue negotiations on a possible settlement of the legal mess sitting before the Eighth Circuit. If the two sides can come to some sort of agreement in the coming weeks, the court can be removed from the situation and we might just get NFL football starting on time in September.
It seems like one of the biggest reasons for optimism for both sides has been the removal of lawyers from the equationin these owners vs. players discussions. Both sides lawyered up heading into court but now the lawyers are on the sidelines for the settlement negotiations. As a newly minted lawyer, all this discussion about the problems with lawyers reminds me of this scene from Seinfeld ("Next thing you know, you're saying they should have their own schools").
I caught a few minutes of NFL Total Access and Albert Breer and according to Breer's sources, people seem to think there is a 30-45 day window to get this negotiation figured out (negotiations through pen to paper). The current actions would indicate the two sides are motivated to get a deal done, but until we see an actual agreement, it's hard to say anything with any real certainty other than "I don't know."