NFL lockout: Player representatives set to review, and perhaps recommend, virtually completed deal

A virtually completed deal to end the NFL’s four-month lockout is expected to be presented to player representatives on Wednesday for review and possible recommendation of approval, several people familiar with the deliberations said Tuesday night.

Attorneys for the league and players met Tuesday in New York with their court-appointed mediator, Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur J. Boylan, and failed to resolve all the remaining issues, according to people not involved in the negotiations but familiar with them. But the two sides made sufficient progress that they intended to have a draft ready for presentation to the players Wednesday in Washington, those people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deliberations.

Members of the ruling executive committee of the NFL Players Association met Tuesday in Washington. They are to be joined Wednesday by team player representatives. After Wednesday’s review, that group could recommend approval of the deal to all NFL players. The agreement would have to be approved by a majority of the close to 2,000 players, and their vote could come by conference call or e-mail as soon as late Wednesday. The players could take a single vote to approve the deal and re-form their union, which they dissolved in March.

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