NFLPA's DeMaurice Smith: 'Significant' Issues Remain in CBA Negotiations

The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association only runs through the 2020 season, and NFLPA director DeMaurice Smith said there are still "significant" holdups as the sides work toward another pact.

"The major issues separating us are significant enough that we cannot recommend to our membership that we should accept a deal in this state at this time," he wrote to the players, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

There has been some progress, as the memo Smith wrote to the players pointed to "tentative agreements" about issues such as higher minimum salaries, reduced training-camp contact and changes to the drug and disciplinary policies.

While Maske noted the "remaining issues" include those surrounding pensions, the maximum portion of revenue players are entitled to and rules for restricted free agents and first-round draft picks, there is a version of the deal that could be in place by the Super Bowl or March that would reduce the preseason and expand the regular season and playoffs:

The NFL responded to the leaked memo by telling teams the league was not interested in negotiating publicly, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:

In August 2018, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he wanted 18 regular-season games and two preseason games.

However, Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reported by September the league was more focused on a 17-game regular season instead of 18. That is in line with the possible version Maske described.

Pro Football Talk reported Saturday the upcoming CBA will "likely not definitively" feature 17 games and would probably already be completed if the regular season would to stay put at 16 games.

It is clear there is still more work to be done given Smith's latest update.