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NFLPA's Smith Yet To Agree To Contract Terms

With most of the NFL-related news centering on Saturday’s NFL Draft and whether the Lions will take Matthew Stafford or Aaron Curry, one interesting note has surfaced in that new NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith is currently without a contract, and he remains “far apart” from reaching an agreement. Smith’s contractual requests, as outlined in a memo, include a five-year deal that would pay him around $3.5M annually for his first three years. However, some NFLPA Exec Committee members are alleged to want to cap Smith’s total income to $4.5M during those first three years, with a promise to reevaluate his income after he “proves himself” in the position. PRO FOOTBALL TALK’s Mike Florio notes the dispute “plays directly into management’s hands by perpetuating the notion that the NFLPA can’t get out of its own way.” Meanwhile, the NFL today announces a deal with the AP making the media outlet the worldwide licensing agent for commercial use of still images.