It is totally reasonable to expect the NFL players to start showing signs of division within their ranks but for it to come this soon into the lockout is a bit surprising. While the general sense is that the owners are super duper, mega billionaires and the player are "mere" millionaires, there's actually are more divisions of class in this NFL lockout fight. Economic class, as history has taught us, is the biggest fault line in any society. This is true too in the society of NFL players.
According to this report from Sports Business Daily, a group of 70 players is poised to sue to get the right to sit at the same table as the big boys. These players are described as being from the mid-tier of the player ranks. That means they only make "lots" of money. The players currently involved in the law suit that's led to mediation in Minnesota are the high-priced guys in the league -- your Mannings and Bradys -- who are rolling in the dough.
The argument goes that the lower paid players have more of an incentive to get a deal done and get the paychecks flowing again while the super rich players can survive a lockout much longer. Makes sense. At the same time it's hard to see how having three parties at the negotiating table will speed things up.
It will be interesting to follow this group of 70 players to see how much influence they end up having on the process.