ESPN.com: Prolonged lockout hurts undrafted rookies.

[cowboyjoe]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post...rafted-rookies

Here's my contribution to the project, an overview of how undrafted rookies will be adversely affected and why every team would suffer as a result ...

The NFL draft is stressful enough for prospects. They wait for their phones to light up, watch ESPN's ticker, repeatedly click refresh on their browsers or try to distract themselves by refusing to pay any attention at all. This year's draft will be even more worrisome for the latter group.

Absent a collective bargaining agreement, the draft still will take place April 28-30. But players who aren't selected in those seven rounds won't be allowed to sign with teams because free agency won't exist.

[dogberry]

The lockout benefits lower level union members.