CBA Requires Prompt Filing Of Contracts

Assuming that the Vikings already have obtained Brett Favre’s John Henry on a player contract, they technically can’t keep it in their back pockets for very long. Unless they’ve postdated it. According to Article XIV, Section 5(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Vikings would be required to submit a copy of the contract to the league’s Management Council within two days. In turn, the Management Council is required to submit the contract to the NFL Players Association within two days. That said, the Standard Player Contract gives the teams more time to file the document. Per Paragraph 18, the contract must be filed with the Commissioner within ten days after signing. It’s unclear whether Article XIV or the Standard Player Contract control. As a practical matter, it really doesn’t matter unless someone complains. And the comment about postdating the deal is no joke -- our guess is that, if there’s a signed deal, it reflects the date on which the Vikings and Favre have agreed to publicize the move. If the goal is to minimize the media circus, the best time to announce the move would be the evening of Friday, July 3. Media types will be on vacation, and fewer people will be paying attention. Then, by the time things get rolling again on Monday, July 6, the news will be a bit stale. And by the time camp opens in late July, everyone will have had a chance to get accustomed to the idea of Favre in purple.