Report: NFL wants new CBA done by start of September

If the NFL gets its way, a new collective bargaining agreement could be in place for the start of the upcoming season.

The league "genuinely wants" an agreement with the NFL Players Association by Sept. 1, a source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The current CBA is set to expire following the 2020 campaign, but the NFL reportedly wants negotiations completed sooner to clear the way for its 100th season celebrations.

Florio's source added that the league is also intent on inking a new CBA by September in order to leverage the long-term security it brings during negotiations for upcoming TV rights. The NFL's satellite and streaming deals will expire after 2019, and its agreement with ESPN for Monday Night Football runs through 2021.

Last month, commissioner Roger Goodell said he hoped the CBA would get done "sooner rather than later."

Meanwhile, some NFL team owners are reportedly considering using the upcoming negotiations to revisit expanding either the regular season or the number of playoff teams, though it's unclear if those demands could impede the talks for a new CBA and affect the league's preferred timeline.

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