Free agent safety Eric Reid wants the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement invalidated over language added following ratification of the pact earlier this month.
He is calling for an investigation and a re-vote.
In a letter to the NFLPA on Monday, Reid’s lawyers said language posted on the players association’s website after passage of the agreement by a 1,019-959 vote on March 15 contains different language than the one players signed off on.
The new CBA is set to begin with the upcoming 2020 season and extend through 2030.
The letter from attorneys Ben Meiselas and Ray Genco highlight a difference in wording in the section about the league’s disability plan that affects hundreds, and potentially thousands, of ex-players who applied for Social Security disability insurance payments before Jan. 1, 2015. In the version the players received and approved, those offsets applied only to players who applied after Jan. 1, 2015.
In a series of tweets Monday, Reid, a vocal opponent of the agreement, provided screenshots of the CBA agreement that showed the language added after players approved the deal.
The NFL declined comment and the NFLPA did not respond to a request for comment on Reid’s letter or say why the language was modified after the vote.
STEELERS: A stint in the XFL has landed three players jobs with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team signed defensive end Dewayne Hendrix, safety Tyree Kinnel and linebacker/long snapper Christian Kuntz to one-year deals on Monday. All three played in the XFL under the startup league that suspended operations earlier this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hendrix had four tackles and a sack for the St. Louis BattleHawks. Kinney finished with 17 tackles for the DC Defenders while Kuntz served as the long snapper for the Dallas Renegades.
The signing is a homecoming for both Hendrix and Kuntz. Hendrix played for the University of Pittsburgh from 2015-18 while Kuntz is from the Pittsburgh suburbs and played at Duquesne University. Kuntz, who won the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award twice, spent some time with the Steelers during training camp last year but did not make the 53-man roster.
The signing also reunites Kinnel with former Michigan teammates Devin Bush and Zach Gentry. Kinnel played four years at Michigan, finishing with 154 tackles, a sack and two interceptions.
CHARGERS: Darius Jennings has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, the team said.
Jennings spent the past two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, and has been utilized more as a returner than wide receiver. He led the league in kick return average in 2018 (31.7 yards) and had a 94-yard return for a touchdown against Miami. Jennings entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2015. He appeared in eight games for the Titans last season and was a restricted free agent, but was not offered a contract.
Kick returns is one area where the Chargers are looking to improve. They were 26th in the league last season, averaging only 20.7 yards per return.
• The Chargers confirmed they have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, cornerback Chris Harris Jr., defensive tackle Linval Joseph and linebacker Nick Vigil.
The deals with Bulaga, Harris and Joseph were reached nearly two weeks ago, but filing the necessary paperwork has been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Teams have been allowed to announce contracts once they are listed on the NFL’s daily transaction report.
PACKERS: Green Bay is keeping running back/return specialist Tyler Ervin.
Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced that the team has re-signed Ervin, who played in four regular-season games and two playoff contests for Green Bay last season.
The Packers claimed Ervin off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 3.
Ervin averaged 26.7 yards on six kickoff returns and 9.6 yards on 11 punt returns for Green Bay during the regular season.
BRONCOS: Denver finalized a three-year, $7 million deal with free agent punter Sam Martin, the third former Detroit Lions player signed by General Manager John Elway this month.
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