Word is that the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to yet another extension of the launch of the 2006 league year, which will delay the start of free agency.

Free agency had been scheduled to open at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the launch of the league year has been bumped to 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Still, there's no guarantee that a deal will get done.  NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw is back to spewing rhetoric, which to date have proven to be hollow.  In a statement on the front page of the union's official web site is the following statement from Upshaw:

"The talks ended today after the NFL gave us a proposal which provided a percentage of revenues for the players which would be less than they received over the last 12 years.  After suggesting we extend the waiver deadline from six o'clock to ten this evening, they gave us a new proposal which was worse than their prior offer. Quite naturally, we rejected that proposal and saw no need to continue meeting.

"Under our previous cap agreement, we got just less than 60 per cent of all of the revenues.  The NFL now wants us to cut that percentage to less than 57 per cent.  Given the enormous revenue growth the NFL is experiencing, I am not about to give back gains which we have made in the past.  It is clear to me that we will do much better under our current CBA in 2006 and particularly in 2007, the uncapped year.

"I continue to believe that the problem lies with the high revenue clubs and the revenue sharing issue.  Their refusal to share more revenues is making it worse for everybody-- players, owners, and fans."

It's unclear precisely when the statement was posted on Sunday.

RAMS ICE IKE

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Rams cut receiver Issac Bruce on Sunday night after the team was unable to reach a deal with the veteran receiver on a restructured contract.

Bruce joined the franchise in 1994, its last season in Los Angeles.  He has been a fixture on the team ever since. 

His best year statistically was his second, in which he caught 119 passes for more than 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Arguably his most brilliant moment with the team came in Super Bowl XXXIV, in which he scored the game-winning touchdown on an 73-yard catch and run with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to break a tie game, after the Rams had blown a 16-0 lead.

Given the recent three-day extension to the start of the league year, it's likely that the cuts made on Sunday will be undone, as they were on Thursday, March 2.  This will give the Rams and Bruce more time to work out a new contract -- which might be easier to do if there's an extension to the CBA.

HOVAN TO RE-UP WITH BUCS

A league source tells us that defensive tackle Chris Hovan has reached an agreement with the Buccaneers on a new contract averaging $3.5 million per season.

Hovan was a first-round draft choice of the Vikings in 2000.  After his rookie deal expired, the Vikings made no effort to re-sign him, and he landed in Tampa. 

His career was rejuvenated with the Bucs, as evidenced by his newfound football riches.

Hovan signed a one-year, $540,000 deal with the Bucs in 2005.  Since the contract undoubtedly utilized the feature in the CBA that allows it to be counted as a $455,000 deal, the Bucs can't re-sign Hovan until the new league years starts.  In fact, they're also prohibited from even reaching a verbal agreement.

Assuming that free agency launches in less than 90 minutes, there's one less guy who'll be available.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Seahawks have agreed to terms with running back Shaun Alexander on an eight-year, $62 million contract.  He'll make more than $15 million in salary and bonus payments in 2006.

We'd previously heard that Alexander wanted $22 million in guaranteed money and a total package worth $80 million.

The deal presumably complies with the rules of the last capped year, which includes a 30 percent limit on salary increases, based on the year one salary (less signing bonus).

It's a monster deal for a tailback on the wrong side of 25, but it's arguably deserved given his performance.  The big concern will be whether he turns turdish now that he's gotten his huge payday.

We've long  believed that the NFLPA is doing a less-than-ideal job (we were going to say "piss-poor," but we're trying to be nice) in representing its membership.

Tonight, we're convinced of it.

At times of great tribulation, where multiple diverse interests must be considered and a balance seems nearly impossible to reach, strong leaders don't get close to working it all out and then storm out of the room.

But NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw continues to posture and preen at a time when the two sides are as close as they might ever get to getting a deal done.  Once the teams cut their players in order to get under the cap, the sense of urgency to get something done will diminish, and all of the momentum of the past few days will be lost.

And then the players who get dumped will sign crappy deals due to the restrictive rules of the last capped year, and they'll soon be craving the uncapped year in order to make their money back.  And as more guys sign those crappy deals under the current rules, it'll be harder to justify extending the CBA, since more and more of the players who signed deals under the old one will be screwed.

So before anyone knows it we'll be into the uncapped year, when some teams will spend a lot more money that otherwise would be permitted. 

And some teams will spend a lot less than otherwise would be required.

Our guess is that, despite the lure of a year without a cap, the total dollars spent on player salaries will be less than what they would have been if there had been an extension and a cap in 2007.

So next comes the expiration of the CBA in 2008, decertification of the union, antitrust lawsuits if the league imposes a uniform set of compensation and free agency rules, and maybe a work stoppage.

As one league source told us on Sunday night, "The union and the players have no idea what they just did to themselves.  No one is going to win, but they will suffer the greatest."

It's time to wake up, players.  Demand that the guys whose salaries you pay earn their money and get a deal done.  The owners will always be making money, but the players have a limited window. 

If the 2006 league year gets rolling without a new CBA, you're all going to be making a lot less of it over the next few years.

A league source tells us that the talks between the NFL and NFLPA have broken down again, with NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw pulling the plug.

The deadline for getting under the cap has been extended to 11:30 p.m. EST.

As it stands, free agency will launch at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

With less than ninety minutes left until the deadline for getting under the 2006 salary cap, the Oakland Raiders have dumped quarterback Kerry Collins.

The move saves a whopping $9.2 million against the salary cap this year.

It recently has been reported that the Ravens will be interested in Collins, who played for Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Fassel when Fassel was the head coach of the Giants.  Under Fassel, Collins led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV, where they lost to the Ravens.

DROUGHNS CONTRACT NUMBERS

The three-year, $12 million extension signed by Browns running back Reuben Droughns breaks down as follows.

Droughns gets $2.5 million to sign, a $1.25 million roster bonus in 2006, and a $1.75 million roster bonus in 2007.

He also has per-game roster bonuses in 2007 through 2009, which equate to $250,000 per season.

Salaries are $1.2 million in 2006, $1.25 million in 2007, $1.75 million in 2008, and $2.75 million in 2009.

In addition to the $13.2 million he'll be paid over four years, Droughns also will be eligible for incentives based on yards rushing.  In each year, he gets $250,000 if he runs for 1,300 to 1,399 yards.  If he finishes with 1,400 to 1,499, the number increases to $500,000.  And if he finishes with 1,500 or more yards, the number moves to $750,000.

A league source tells us that talks between the NFL and the NFLPA will resume at 8:30 p.m. EST Sunday.

Maybe they were just hungry, or perhaps they're curious to see whether Jake Gyllenhaal wins the Oscar for best supporting actor in Brokeback.

Actually, we're hearing that the owner of one of the high-revenue teams is mucking up the efforts to strike a deal that will work for the union, the league, the low-revenue clubs, and the big-money clubs.

We're also hearing that the problem from the union perspective is NFLPA lawyer Jeffrey Kessler.  As one league insider told us (echoing sentiments we heard on Saturday), "If they could just get him out of the room the deal would get done."

Stay tuned.

Our friends at PewterReport.com report that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have restructured the contract of linebacker Derrick Brooks, freeing up a whopping $5 million in 2006 cap room.

Per the report, the new deal comes with some guaranteed money and years added beyond 2009.

Brooks is an eleven-year pro, and he has started in 173 of 176 games.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that talks between the NFL and NFLPA have broken down again, just when it seemed that the two sides were closing in on a deal.

But as one relatively high-level league insider cautioned us on Sunday evening:  "I would be very leery of Mortensen.  His source could be a palm reader."

Ouch. 

From our perspective, we'll give Mort the benefit of the doubt on this one.  He's never, to our recollection, pulled a Glauber -- especially on matters of significant import.

Moreover, NFL.com is now reporting that the talks are indeed off, quoting NFL vice president Joe Browne.

The most recent impasse was not accompanied by the usual gloom-and-doom pronouncement from NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw or one of his cronies.  This could mean that the union doesn't want to risk pissing anyone off on the management side of the equation in case talks resume. 

Or it could mean that Upshaw and company realize that the Chicken Little routine hasn't done much to shore up their credibility.

The next step will be for all teams to get in compliance with the 2006 salary cap by 10:00 p.m. EST Sunday.  This means that teams currently over the limit of $94.53 million will have to reduce cap numbers and/or cut players within the next three hours. 

As a result, things will be getting a little hectic.

Interestingly, the NFL wanted to extend the start of the league year until Wednesday, but the NFLPA refused.

This is all welcome news to the cap-rich teams like Arizona, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Cleveland.  We're told that at least one of those teams was getting more than a little chafed about the fact that teams which hadn't properly planned for compliance with the $94.53 million salary cap were continuing to secure reprieves.

Even if the new league year begins without a deal, that doesn't mean that a deal won't get done soon.  We've recently heard that, even after free agency begins, the point of no return won't arrive until late April or early May.

But if a new CBA is reached after guys start signing free agent contracts under the restrictive rules of the final capped year, there could be some rancor in locker rooms as guys get better deals later in the offseason.

If we were negotiating a player contract right now (and players everywhere should be glad we aren't), we'd insert language triggering a hefty roster bonus or an option bonus if there's eventually a CBA extension.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to bump the team-by-team deadline for getting under the salary cap from 6:00 p.m. EST Sunday until 10:00 p.m. EST.

This tells us that a deal is getting pretty darn close.  Otherwise, they would have bumped it by at least a day.

Free agency is still scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday.  If a new deal is reached (or if one isn't), the launch of free agency most likely will be pushed back.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the New York Jets have struck an agreement with quarterback Chad Pennington on a restructured contract.

Pennington originally was slated to earn $6 million in salary and a $3 million roster bonus.  Now, he'll earn a $3 million guaranteed salary with the ability to make back up to $6 million more in incentives.

Glazer reports that the agreement has not yet been signed.

It's also possible that the deal is contingent on the NFL and the union working out an extension to the collective bargaining agreement.  Absent a new CBA, the Jets possibly will be required to clear up to $6 million in cap room during the 2006 season, since under the current CBA all incentives hit the cap at the time they are earned.

The team had asked him to reduce his 2006 compensation all the way down to $1 million, and Pennington declined.  More recently, Pennington expressed interest in working something out.

As the NFL and the NFLPA continue to discuss the final sticking points on a new CBA, we're told that the focus has now shifted to negotiating an extension to the start of the 2006 league year.

Under the extension to which both sides agreed on Thursday, the new league year begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, and all teams must make any cuts aimed at getting under the salary cap by 6:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

That's roughly an hour from now.

We're told that the deadlines will be extended either by one or three days. 

Sean Jensen of The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that "[t]he buzz around the NFL is that Minnesota already has agreed in principle on a multiyear deal with outside linebacker Ben Leber."  Jensen writes that the signing bonus could be as much as $7 million on a deal averaging $4 million a year.

Leber, who spent his first four years with the Chargers, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 12:01 a.m. Monday.  Until then, however, he is property of San Diego, and communication between Leber and any other team constitutes tampering.

Then again, everyone does it.  Based on recent published reports out of Philly, the Eagles obviously have been talking to center LeCharles Bentley.  We're aware of multiple instances of meetings at the combine between teams and agents and regular phone calls regarding guys who'll be hitting the open market.

A league source tells us that representatives of the NFL and the NFLPA currently are negotiating via conference call the remaining issues that need to be resolved before a deal on a new CBA can be completed.

The source had no specific information as to whether progress is being made.

The talks have resumed less than 24 hours after NFLPA lawyer Jeffrey Kessler declared them to be dead as a doornail.

Apparently, reports of the demise of said doornail have been greatly exaggerated.

If a new deal is going to be reached, something needs to happen soon.  Teams are facing a 6:00 p.m. EST deadline for getting under the $94.53 million salary cap for 2006.  If talks break down again, look for another extension to be provided.

A league source tells us that the full report of the Wonderlic scores generated at the scouting combine contains one glaring omission.

There's no number listed for Texas quarterback Vince Young.

We've also been told by multiple sources that Young did not score a 16 when he took the test on Sunday.  This development creates a major problem for agent Major Adams, who told The Houston Chronicle that Young got 16 of 50 questions correct in his second try at the intelligence exam. 

One league insider is under the impression that Young got a six the first time around, and only a seven on his second try.  We have yet to confirm this specific fact. 

From our perspective, we don't care what Young scored on the test.  Despite the fun we've had with the information this week, Vince seems like a smart, relatively articulate guy, and his performance and abilities on the field are obvious.  Sure, there are concerns about his Kent Tekulve/Uncle Rico throwing motion and his lack of experience taking snaps from under center.  But the guy has proven to be a man among boys at the college level, and there's no real reason to think that he'll pull an Akili Smith or a Ryan Leaf at the next level.

With that said, our lingering concern continues to be the shameless manner in which the powers-that-be apparently are covering up the truth regarding Young's scores.  The fact that the report of the combine Wonderlic scores omits Young's number suggests that, indeed, the reports of a 16 in his do-over were false.

Our guess is that Young's combine scores will never see the light of day, and that he'll take the thing one more time in connection with his March 22 pro day workout, and that that's the score that will reported to the teams.

Assuming it's not in the single digits.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Browns RB Reuben Droughns wants to see the team spend money on some free agents (but not guys like Edgerrin James or Shaun Alexander).

Three Cowboys due to hit the market likely will move on.

The Bengals accept the fact that QB Jon Kitna will be leaving.

Former Chiefs DE Neil Smith will enter the team's Hall of Fame (given his sack celebration, maybe he should be in the Royals' Hall, too -- his average with an air bat wasn't much worse than any of the guys who've played for that team in the past 20 years).

Bob Glauber of Newsday thinks the Chargers are making a mistake by letting QB Drew Brees hit the market (but it's not nearly as big of a mistake as, say, reporting that T.O. will score a partial victory in his arbitration case hours before the Eagles dunked it on his ass).

Mark Maske of The Washington Post reports that the NFL and the NFLPA are close to working out a deal to extend the CBA.

NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw told Maske in an e-mail message that the talks are "now in the area where we will get a deal.  I think it may be there.  It comes down to a few final points."

The comments mark a stunning reversal from the bullcrap gloom-and-doom spewed on Saturday afternoon by NFLPA lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, who said the talks were "dead as a doornail" and that it was a "sad day for the NFL."

Then again, the rhetoric might have been the latest example of the union playing the bad cop and providing cover for the owners, who have been squabbling among themselves as to the issue of expanded revenue sharing.

As Maske points out, "Upshaw has maintained that any labor deal between the players and owners would have to be accompanied by an agreement among the owners to increase the degree to which the 32 NFL teams share locally generated revenues."  As various player-side league sources have told us over the past few days, however, the players don't care about whether the owners have a deal on expanded revenue sharing.  All the players care about is a salary cap based on total football revenues.

For now, it appears that the owners have finally gotten their house in order.

Until, of course, the next sound bite from Upshaw or Kessler proclaiming that the missiles have left Havana.

Sid Hartman of The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (sort of) that the Vikings are likely to make a run at Chargers quarterback Drew Brees, who'll hit the market at the start of free agency.

Brees, per Hartman, has a great relationship with new Vikings personnel boss Fran Foley.  Foley previously was the director of pro personnel in San Diego.

The challenge for the Vikings, however, would be to work out a trade for current starter Daunte Culpepper before pursuing Brees.  If other teams chase Brees when free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, the Vikes will have to decide whether to jump into the fray without a deal in place for Daunte, even though it would be an implicit admission to the rest of the league that Minny isn't serious about keeping Culpepper -- meaning that he'd be cut before his $6 million roster bonus comes due in the middle of the month.

But anyone interested in Brees should be damn sure that he's on track to be recovered in time to play this season.  Recent reports indicated that his shoulder injury was more than a torn labrum, and that he also had a partially torn rotator cuff.

SUNDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The cap-rich Packers plan to play the waiting game once free agency

opens.  (Per Homer Simpson, "The waiting game sucks.  Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!")

Vikings WR Koren Robinson most likely won't re-sign before testing the market; the team holds a right of first refusal as to any offer he accepts.

We don't have anything to add on the CBA negotiations this morning, other than to say that, after hoping for the past week that they'd work something out, we're starting to root for no deal to get done -- if for no reason other than to teach a valuable lesson to everyone involved in the process.

The Bucs restructured the contract of DT Booger McFarland by stripping out some likely to be earned incentives; by all appearances, the only thing McFarland got in exchange was not cut.

The Texans are interested in TE Matt Schobel, a pending free agent.

Tom Curran of The Providence Journal lists the 2004 team-by-team earnings numbers for NFL teams.

The Broncos are still trying to work something out with DT Gerard Warren and RB Ron Dayne.

Don't stop here -- we've got the poop for March 4, 2006, March 3, 2006, March 2, 2006, March 1, 2006, the back end of February, and four years of rumor mill archives.