Fleur-de-Links: March 10, 2011

TWEETS:

CBA NEGOTIATIONS:

Report: Some owners willing to open books | ProFootballTalk
Following Florio's report regarding incremental financial progress between the NFL and NFLPA on Thursday, we bring you another report of possible progress. Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reports that  "some NFL owners" that want to completely open their books to the union.

Hines Ward OK with 18-game season if owners improve health care | ProFootballTalk
"If they do, we still have to go out there and play it," Ward told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It depends on how they do retirement plans. If you add two more games and talk about safety, you have to do something on the back end."

Domonique Foxworth calls NFL’s financial information offer "laughable" | ProFootballTalk
Amid signs of quiet optimism as the financial gap closes between the NFL and the players' union, the negotiations remain on the edge of one of those TV knives that can cut through a can and then through a steak.

New Orleans Saints fullback Heath Evans expects lockout to last into July or August | NOLA.com
Evans isn't optimistic that solution is near

New Orleans Saints fullback Heath Evans expects teammates to get together for organized workouts if there's a lockout | NOLA.com
Evans says Saints don't want lockout to get in the way of another Super Bowl run

If NFL stops, 'innocent bystanders' to take hit | NOLA.com
2,500 people employed at Superdome on Saints gameday

Union seeking more financial data than NFL offered | NOLA.com
DeMaurice Smith calls latest info 'utterly useless'

New Orleans Saints reader comment: Player-organized workouts won't be successful | NOLA.com
Highlighting comments from their readers

Amid pessimism, some progress is made | ProFootballTalk
Though the NFL and the NFLPA still have a long way to go in order to strike a deal (or, best case, an extension to keep working on a possible deal), we're told that the financial gap between the parties continues to shrink.

SAINTS:

New Orleans Saints fullback Heath Evans hopes to re-sign with Saints this offseason | NOLA.com
Evans says it was big for Saints to re-sign tailback Pierre Thomas

Saints assistant Jones given 3 years' probation for fraud
Although Jones made only $86,225 from the scheme, which required him to make false statements in loan applications in order to obtain money that was never repaid, he is required to fork over $1,148,678 in restitution, which represents the full amount of the loans paid out in his name.

Saints Nation: A Browns' Blogger's Take on Shaun Rogers | March

Draft Watch: NFC South - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Assuming the restricted free agent tags hold up with a new labor agreement, the Saints should be able to keep a pretty strong roster intact. That said, there are some obvious areas of need. On defense, the Saints could use another pass-rusher to team with Will Smith. Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson were adequate last season, but not dynamic.

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