Reports that the NFL and NFLPA might be closing in on a new collective bargaining agreement came as a surprise earlier on Wednesday.

Among the topics, the NFL is planning for a 17-game regular season and a new playoff format to start next season.

However, there are other short-term implications. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, a new CBA being signed ahead of March 18 (the start of the new league year) would prevent teams from being able to use the franchise tag.