With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFL’s national and regional TV windows are averaging 16.7 million viewers and a 9.6 household rating, up six percent versus the analogous period a year ago and a lift of 11 percent compared to the same span in 2017.

According to Standard Media Index data, in-game unit costs in October NFL broadcasts jumped 15 percent compared to the year-ago period, with advertisers spending an average rate of $419,045 for 30 seconds of airtime, which is up from $363,016 in October 2018.

NBC’s average unit cost for its in-game “Sunday Night Football” inventory is up 12 percent to $566,469, while CBS’s NFL rates have jumped 11 percent to $368,896.

Per SMI, the cost of a 30-second in-game unit in “Monday Night Football” worked out to $261,926 a pop, up 4 percent compared to the analogous period in 2018.

The NFLPA has informed its players that an arbitrator has ruled in the favor of the union in a grievance against the Jacksonville Jaguars over requiring injured players to rehab and see doctors at the team facility during the offseason.

The union has founded that more than 25 percent of the grievances filed by players in the entire league have been filed against the Jaguars.

"You as players may want to consider this when you have a chance to select your next club," wrote the union in the letter to players in conclusion.

Roger Goodell hadn't talked publicly since Colin Kaepernick's workout last month and seemed to dodge the issue when asked about it on Wednesday.

“I haven’t thought about this in a few weeks,” Goodell said. “This was, as I’ve said to you before, about creating an opportunity. Which Colin’s representatives came out in early October [with a list of false narratives about Kaepernick], and we created that opportunity. It was a unique opportunity, incredible opportunity, and he chose not to take it. I understand that. And, you know, we’ve moved on.”

The NFL hastily arranged a workout for Kaepernick in what appeared to be an attempt at winning positive publicity.

The NFL salary for the 2020 season is projected to be in the range of $196.8 million to $201.2 million, which would mean it will likely have a $10 million cap jump for the seventh straight season.

The 2019 cap is at $188.2 million. If it hits $200 million in 2020, it will have grown by roughly 40 percent since 2015.

The cap was $120.4 million in the first year of the labor deal in 2011. The cap has increased roughly 65 percent since then.

NFLPA president Eric Winston does not share the enthusiasm of a Washington Post story last month indicating the NFL and NFLPA had "made meaningful progress" on a new collective bargaining agreement.

“Listen, we have been talking for a long time. I still think at some point we’re going to have to get over some of the big issues, and we’re just not there yet,” said Winston, who because he is no longer playing cannot run again in March for NFLPA president. “It is what it is…things come in fits and spurts..and something happens. But I haven’t seen that I haven’t seen evidence of that.  

“If we get there, great. If we don’t, like I said, our guys are prepared, understand what our situation is, are educated, and so at some point, we’re going to have to figure it out. Hopefully, it’s sooner than later but again, if this needs to go in the next year, and the next season and even past next season, unfortunately, that’s what it will be. But I don’t have any expectations. I don’t have any timeline on when I’m, you know when we’re going to push this thing done.”

Winston didn’t want to get pigeonholed into what the main issue is between the two sides. 

“Money is always going to be a big part of it, but work rules are also a big part of it,” he said. “Minimum salaries and getting money to 60 percent of guys under minimum salaries is a big deal…So I don’t live in a world where I’m going to say this one thing is the most important because I represent 22,000 guys.” The 22,000 figure would refer to retired and active players, though the NFLPA legally only represents the roughly 2,000 active ones."