A little-known provision in the collective bargaining agreement could be a huge detriment to a prolonged holdout by Steven Jackson. According to the NFL Players Association, players under contract must report at least 30 days prior to the first regular-season game or else they lose an accrued season of seniority. The Rams open the regular season Sept. 7 in Philadelphia, so Jackson must report by Aug. 8 ? a week from Friday ? or else the 2008 season will not count toward his eligibility for free agency. If the current collective bargaining agreement is voided, as is being threatened by team owners, one of the side provisions is that players would need six years' seniority to be eligible for free agency following the 2009 season.