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Detroit Lions linebacker Devon Kennard was one of the 17 affirmative votes to send the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal to the full NFLPA membership for vote after meetings between the union and league owners on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

In a post to his Twitter account Wednesday night, Kennard explained why he his vote was a yes to the current proposal.

“My vote was YES,” Kennard wrote.

“When the 17th game was originally brought up by the owners in negotiations with our (executive committee) and player reps had to ask ourselves what would the deal have to include to accept a 17th game? I went back to my locker room and received feedback from as many guys as I could.

“All of the other reps did the same and the overwhelming consensus that most reps brought back were: 1/17th game check for all players, a significant bump in minimum salaries, an increase(d) (percentage) of the cap, a significant increase in benefits and better quality of life (camp/offseason schedule).

“The deal is not perfect by any means and there are things that I most certainly wish were different and/or better but when I took a step back, majority of the things we wanted is included in this deal. EVERY player will get 1/17th game check. Minimum salaries have made a significant increase. We get 48% with opportunity to reach 48.5% once 17 game schedule is implemented (which will lead to all players making much more $). Player benefits have improved immensely including former players and lastly work rules, around camp schedules specifically are much improved.

“Overall, this is a deal that is going to lead to NFL players getting paid more than we ever have in the past and I LOVE that.

“With that in mind I voted YES and believe this deal should be acknowledged by all of my teammates and peers so we all have the opportunity to make this final decision together.”

Like Aaron Rodgers, Kennard believes his vote sufficiently reflects the views of the players in Detroit’s locker room that named him as the team’s NFLPA representative. Unlike Rodgers, his vote is to accept the proposal on the table from ownership.

The proposal will now be voted on by the entirety of the NFLPA membership. If a majority of the players agree with Kennard’s affirmative vote, the NFL will have a new working agreement in place for the next decade.