That proposal from the NFL that 35 percent of player salaries be placed into escrow to help manage the potential losses from the upcoming season? Yeah, players don't want that. They had already made that clear.
The NFLPA also requested that the $198.2 million salary cap doesn't see a drop next offseason, which might be difficult to promise with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to shorten or even cancel the upcoming season while impacting revenue. That would certainly be better than the significant drop that some have been forecasting.
The players union proposes that the league spreads any revenue losses over nine years, starting in 2022, lessening the impact on any one season.
The players also want any guaranteed money in player contracts to be paid out even if games are canceled.
One thing is a near certainty. The salary cap won't be seeing the significant jump in 2021 that was expected as recently as early March. That could leave the 49ers with some difficult decisions next season. The team gave new contracts to defensive lineman Arik Armstead and safety Jimmie Ward and still has others in the pipeline, like tight end George Kittle and newly acquired offensive tackle Trent Williams.
Many others, like defensive backs Richard Sherman, Jaquiski Tartt, and Ahkello Witherspoon, along with fullback Kyle Juszczyk and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, are also scheduled to hit free agency.
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