The NFL's on-field officials say the league planned to lock them out rather than negotiate a new contract. Members of the NFL Referees Association were locked out June 3 after talks broke down, the league has been contacting replacement officials. "Lockout seems to be their negotiating strategy with everyone," said referee Scott Green, president of the NFLRA, clearly referring to the lockout of the players in 2011. "We don't want to be locked out. We want to get back to the table and get this resolved." But no talks are scheduled. Green and past NFLRA president Ed Hochuli say the NFL is jeopardizing the safety of the players, as well as the integrity of the game, by considering using officials they feel are unqualified. None of those officials will come from the top college division because they are barred from accepting NFL jobs by the colleges, Green said Wednesday. "To take seven officials who have not worked Division I [college] games or not worked the last several years," he said, "and to put them on the field has got to be pretty unsettling not only to the players and coaches, but to the fans." Source: CBSSports
