Bigger sticking points than money in NFL labor talks

With five more days and nights — at least — to reach an agreement, the NFL and the players union might find money off the top is not the bottom line.

The owners’ request that about $2 billion of total revenues be deducted before they split the rest with the players has been a sticking point ever since 2008.

That’s when the owners opted out of the current collective-bargaining agreement, which would have expired last Thursday if not for two extensions.

The deadline now is at the end of Friday, and a compromise on that figure — the owners already deduct about $1 billion for operating expenses from the $9 billion overall take — might be easier than reaching accord on expanding the regular season to 18 games or several other issues.

“We have made player safety our biggest concern, and we won’t back off on that,” said Jake Scott, Tennessee Titans guard and player representative.

The most dicey issue, as Scott suggests, is anything dealing with player safety and health benefits for current and retired players. That’s where the proposed 18 regular-season games and two preseason games figure in.

The union is adamant, with so many injuries in a 16-game schedule — particularly brain trauma and major injuries that can have long-term effects — increasing the length of the regular season is not an option.

Commissioner Roger Goodell insists the preseason matches don’t feature the quality fans deserve, so switching two of them for games that count is preferable.

For the players to agree on 18 games, they would want substantial reductions in off-season workouts, minicamps, and training camp. Should they get that, and if NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith can coax, say, five extra roster spots per team (160 more jobs), perhaps the league and union can find common ground in this area, too.