CBA, retired players among top issues for union

More: Union searching for solidarity

As the NFL Players Association prepares to announce its new executive director in Maui this weekend, the union faces critical issues. Here are the five most pressing matters that candidates Trace Armstrong, Troy Vincent, David Cornwell and DeMaurice Smith will have to spearhead as the replacement for the late Gene Upshaw:

1. The Collective Bargaining Agreement
As powerful agent Tom Condon said this week, "Everything emanates from the collective bargaining agreement." Condon is dead right and that's why the CBA is more important than the other issues combined. Be it player pension, medical treatment, disability or benefits for retired players, everything flows through the CBA. Last May, the NFL owners voted unanimously to opt out of the CBA. In short, that means that after the 2010 season there will be no agreement in place between the league and the players. If that happens, expect the owners to lock out the players. In turn, expect the players to decertify the union in order for the federal courts to rule that the owners can't lock them out. For everyone involved, this is the nightmare scenario. As Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday has said several times, echoing the remarks from both sides: "Everybody is making money in this deal. The fans are not going to be sympathetic, particularly right now." What owners believe is that they are taking on too much of the economic risk right now and want the players who reduce the percentage of overall revenues they get. The players counter by saying that the owners don't do enough revenue sharing.

2. Communication and trust
Given the controversy that's taken place during the selection process for a new union leader and potential labor strife, Upshaw's replacement will have to restore trust and faith in the constituency. NFLPA lawyer Tom DePaso recently joked that whoever is elected as the next executive director will probably have to do two trips around the league in the first year alone to see all the players. "Just getting to everybody once is hard enough," DePaso said. Player rep Matt Stover likewise said: "Whoever it is, is going to be worked. That's why this comes down to a heart issue. Does he have the heart to do what it takes?"

3. Retired players and disability
Over the final three years of his life, the Upshaw took one public hit after another from retired players about the benefits they get, particularly disability payments. Furthermore, the union lost a $28.1 million judgment with retired players over money due from a joint licensing venture. While there is popular sentiment for retired players to get more, the question is whether current players are willing to contribute more of the money they get to programs for the retired. This is the balancing act the next executive director must face. In addition, the downside for the union is that this problem is never fully going to go away. Try as much as the next executive director may like, former players will likely never be satisfied with improvement in pensions and benefits given the discrepancy in salaries and medical costs over the years.

4. Restructuring contracts for rookies
One of the popular annual arguments by NFL teams and fans is that high draft picks make inordinate amounts of money. In 2008, No. 1 overall pick Jake Long received the richest contract for an offensive lineman, quarterback Matt Ryan received $34.5 million in guaranteed money (the largest guarantee ever for a rookie player) and No. 6 overall pick Vernon Gholston received the second-largest contract in New York Jets history. While Long made the Pro Bowl and Ryan earned rookie of the year honors, Gholston was a flop. On the flipside, there were a total of 251 players drafted and the vast majority have contracts that can become huge bargains for teams. Said Condon: "Nobody wants to talk about the fifth-round pick who comes in and starts for four years at close to the minimum and never make up the difference between them and the higher pick. Everybody just complains about the five or six guys at the top of the draft. Really, there's a better system out there for all the players and it shouldn't be real hard to figure out."

5. Medical evaluations
Upshaw and the union got teams to agree to allow players to seek second opinions years ago, but a culture of discouraging second opinions still exists, including the fact that teams don't have to pay for airfare or hotel costs if players travel to see someone else. In addition, many teams still try to guide players to doctors the team prefers for surgery and work. The opinion of most veterans and others is simple: Make second opinions standard for players, make the teams pay for the cost and don't worry about the doctor, as long as the doctor is reasonably qualified.