The NFL and NFL Players Association have made significant progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement with the hope a deal can be finalized by early 2020. The deal will likely include a 17-game regular season and a shortened preseason.

“I think there’s some real intensity and opportunity over the next few weeks,” one person familiar with the state of the negotiations said, adding that the participants are “working hard” to complete a deal.

Owners have been willing to make concessions to add the extra game each season.

The existing 10-year collective bargaining agreement between the league and union runs through the 2020 season.

Owners would prefer to deal with the current leadership of the NFLPA.