The NFL lockout is looking more and more like it's almost a done deal. The reports coming out of the labor negotiations indicate that all the big issues are completed and it's down to hammering down some of the details.
Despite nearly everyone saying this could happen this week, there's a small part of me that's skeptical of this getting done because it was just last month that we thought a deal could be done within days and that was obviously not the case.
But there are a couple of signs that this thing is wrapping up.
First, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams instructing them to send "key executives" to Thursday's owners meetings in Atlanta. Judy Battista of the New York Times reports that, if the owners ratify the new labor agreement on Thursday, there would be a labor seminar shortly after that with those key executives.
Second, Jeremy Shockey recently told the website Busted Coverage that he was told that the deal is basically done and that he was also told to return to Charlotte on Friday for a three-day camp with the Panthers.
So not only do the news reports expect this thing to get done this week, possibly Thursday. But those involved -- owners and players -- have been told that it should get done this week.
Let's hope so.
(H/T tomahawk44)