The NFL Players Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement on Saturday night, with the final tally clocking in at 1,019 votes for approval against 959 votes to decline — a margin of just 60 votes, or about 2% of union membership. Because this CBA proposal was already confirmed by NFL ownership, it will go into effect immediately and is expected to run through the next decade. And it’s introducing many new changes and challenges for every team, including the New Orleans Saints.
First and foremost: the new CBA removes the one-year 30% rule, which would have severely hamstrung the Saints’ usual contract structure strategies.