The National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) are contemplating moving the draft from April to May as well as moving the start of the league year to before the NFL Scouting combines, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The change in the NFL scheduling would reset the league's calendar, creating a year-long continuum -- giving the league a signature event every month of the year.
"We have presented an alternative for off-season calendar," said NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, during the annual league meeting. "We think it makes a lot of sense. I think the players saw the benefits of doing that, and they wanted to talk to their membership."
Under the rules of the current collective bargaining agreement, the NFL commissioner can set the date of the draft without the union's approval, although the commissioner is keeping the NFLPA in the loop in order to maintain a harmonious relationship between the league and the union.
The league's proposal was discussed at the NFLPA's representatives meeting, earlier in the year, with some player representatives balking at the idea of having free agency backed up to later in the year, leaving that batch of free agents in an unemployed limbo for a longer period of time.
The players and the NFLPA have already turned down an NFL proposal that would started the league year later than the current plan being discussed, saying it was unfair to the players.
This year's combine took place from February 20th to February 26th, with the 2013 league year beginning on March 12th. The new league year would start before the combines in 2015 and 2016.
According to a league source, the NFL is looking into these changes for business reasons.
"By moving up the start of the league year, by moving up the combines a little bit, doing all these things to stretch the draft into May, that stretches out the whole year," said Schefter. "It allows everyone to focus on the NFL through out the entire year."