Report: NFLPA Already Warning Players About Potential Work Stoppage In 2021

BOSTON (CBS) -- There will be a 2019 NFL season. And a 2020 NFL season. But those are the final two seasons under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the NFLPA is already warning players to start saving their money for a potential lockout.

According to Liz Mullen of the SportsBusiness Journal, NFL Players' Association director DeMaurice Smith emailed all NFL agents on Tuesday morning advising them to urge their clients to start saving money for a work stoppage.

"We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length," the email read, according to Mullen.

Players are not happy with the current CBA, which was agreed on in August of 2011. The NFL and NFLPA started discussions about a new deal in April, though nothing is expected to be agreed on anytime soon. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported back in March that players are trying to increase their revenue share (which is currently at 47 percent), better ways to secure more guarantees in their contracts, decreasing free-agent limitations, and changes to the personal conduct and drug policies that the league currently implements.

While the sides have two years to come up with something to avoid another lockout, it appears the players are bracing for another work stoppage.