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OK, it's time to take a break from all this labor stuff and talk about the players who will be free agents and trade targets once the Hatfields and McCoys sign off on a new CBA. And who better to do that with than Greg Cosell, the longtime NFL Films game-tape maven, who also serves as senior producer of ESPN's "NFL Matchup" show (and has done so since 1984).

You can read more about Greg's history in this outstanding profile authored by Andy Benoit of the New York Times. Greg also recently co-authored the excellent "The Games that Changed the Game" book with Ron Jaworski and David Plaut.  It's an outstanding schematic history of, and evolution guide to, modern professional football. Also, check out Greg's insights on Twitter at @gregcosell.

In this podcast, Greg and I discuss the most intriguing options to switch teams at multiple positions. Based on non-stop analysis of coach's tape (not TV feed, but the "All-22" seen by coaches during the week), Greg shared his thoughts on a number

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So, the owners have ratified their own proposal, leaving their side to blast various "it's a great day for the NFL" stuff all over the media landscape. Of course, there's just one small problem with that bit of propaganda: The players haven't approved anything yet, and didn't even get the full proposal in their hands until late Thursday evening.

Most of the principals on both sides of the labor battle are in Boston on Friday to pay their respects to the late Myra Kraft, but even when the NFLPA is ready to go through that document with a fine-toothed comb, the process isn't as simple as the players "voting on the owners' proposal." This isn't employer/employee; it's partner/partner, and that's going to become a lot more apparent over the next few days.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Friday afternoon that player reps have sent dialogue to players saying, "We will meet again Monday to discuss our options and the direction we want to go."

People can get mad all they want about the

yahoo_markmurphyThe NFLPA has already said that there will be no statements regarding the ongoing labor discussions Friday in memory of the late Myra Kraft, but on the owners' side, statements have been made in many different formats. While most owners and commissioner Roger Goodell were in Boston at Mrs. Kraft's memorial service, many other team executives were in Atlanta, going over the details of a new league year, based on the ratification of a collective bargaining agreement that hasn't yet been ratified, and may not be done so Friday by the players.

Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy put forth more pointed commentary as the players review the agreement ratified by only the owners — at this point, further negotiations are probably out of the question.

"We've put our pens down," Murphy said in a Thursday night conference call with local media. "We've negotiated in good faith with the union. We've reached an agreement on all the key points. They know what we ratified and they're voting to

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We've reported that the NFL owners have ratified their own proposal at about 7 p.m. ET, and we shared NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith's email to the player reps just before the players association's conference call that took place an hour later. Almost two hours later, the conference call ended, and the news is not good. Not only have the players refused to vote on that proposal (and for a very good reason; they claim not to have even seen it yet), but both Smith and general counsel for the NFLPA Richard Berthelsen believe that the nature of the proposal may violate labor laws.

In short, it's illegal for an employer to coerce employees to form a union, and that's what the NFLPA believes the owners have done in calling a press conference to make it clear that they want an agreement to pass that the players haven't yet seen.

Understandably, the players and the players association aren't all too happy about this turn of events. A source close to the situation told Yahoo! Sports that there's

Yahoo! Sports has obtained a copy of the email sent from NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith just a few minutes ago, shortly after the league voted to ratify its proposal. The NFLPA started its conference call with the player representatives from each team at 8:00 p.m. ET.

"All:

As you know the Owners have ratified their proposal to settle our differences. It is my understanding that they are forwarding it to us. 

As you may have heard, they apparently approved a supplemental revenue sharing proposal.  Obviously, we have not been a part of those discussions. 

As you know from yesterday, issues that need to be collectively bargained remain open, other issues such as workers compensation, economic issues and end of deal terms remain unresolved.  

There is no agreement between the NFL and the Players at this time.  I look forward to our call tonight."

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Scott Hanson and Albert Breer of the NFL Network are reporting that the NFL owners have voted to ratify the settlement terms of the litigation that would be the first step in bringing forth a new agreement. The vote took place just before 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, and the NFL Network's Rich Eisen reports that the vote was 31-0, with the Oakland Raiders abstaining.

It was perhaps the most overwhelming initiative from the owners' side when it came to a settlement agreement or new collective bargaining agreement in the history of the league, and it sets the table for the players to vote on the global settlement put in front of them to put to bed the Brady v. NFL, collusion and lockout insurance lawsuits. The NFLPA will have a conference call at 8 p.m. ET to discuss the offer on the table, how to re-certify as a union and how best to go forward.

"The clubs approved an agreement that was negotiated with the players this afternoon," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday at a news

yahoo_desmith_nothappyReports from the Associated Press and Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network now indicate that the NFLPA's labor committee will not vote on the proposal to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement from the players' side. Player representatives from all 32 teams met with the members of the NFLPA at the Players Association's headquarters in Washington on Wednesday morning, and through the day, and it was thought that a vote ratifying the new deal would take place.

However, it is now believed that complications arising from the length and breadth of the agreement, as well as the difficulties arising from the settlements in the Brady v. NFL case and lockout insurance damages have delayed the process. Other reports indicate that the players' side has agreed to act on the lawsuit settlement, but that processing the unresolved issues in the new CBA have gummed up the works.

This was indicated by NFLPA president Kevin Mawae on Wednesday morning, when Mawae made it very clear that he would

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As the lockout negotiations went through a long and very contentious spring and summer, it became clear that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft became the voice of reason, guiding the hawks and doves through the process. We now know that Mr. Kraft was doing all of that work with a heavy heart.

On Wednesday morning, Myra Hiatt Kraft, Mr. Kraft's wife, passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 68. The Krafts wed in 1963 and raised four sons: Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua and David. Jonathan is the president of the Patriots, and has held various titles in the organization since his father purchased the team in 1994.

As Mr. Kraft's Patriots franchise came to redefine NFL success in the time since that purchase, Mrs. Kraft found her calling in philanthropy — she was highly regarded for her generous spirit. She managed the Robert and Myra Kraft Family Foundation, as well as the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, which provided millions of dollars to various U.S. and