The NFLPA has finished its annual press conference featuring executive director Gene Upshaw (re-signed through 2010), president Troy Vincent and general counsel Richard Berthelsen. They covered a range of issues, from pensions to player conduct and beyond. Berthelsen seemed to revel in the NFLPA's victory in the Steve Hutchinson poison-pill case. He said we might see similar clauses in the future, although I think teams will respond by tendering their best restricted free agents at prohibitive levels (while avoiding the transition tag). Full breakdown below.

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UPSHAW:

• 2008 CBA cancellation. There have been rumblings that the league might bail out of the collective-bargaining agreement in 2008. This would trigger an uncapped year in 2010. Upshaw warned that the league would never get a cap back and the price of playing ball would double.
• Player conduct. Upshaw said he is very concerned with off-field incidents hurting the league's image and threatening the players' bottom line in the long term.
• Concussions. Not a lot new here.
• Steroids. They are talking about what to do with players who test positive and also qualify for honors such as the Pro Bowl. He said they can't just ban the players from the Pro Bowl without consideration because such a move would affect incentives, voidables and buybacks in existing contracts.
• Player benefits. Specifically retired players. He strongly defended the NFLPA's efforts to improve pensions. This is a hot issue.
• Agent reform. They want to enforce rules preventing agents from having contact with players not yet eligible for the NFL.
• Diversity. Upshaw said he is "very pleased" with progress made on this front in terms of head coaches and minority assistants who have gotten jobs after being fired, something he said didn't happen enough in the past.

BERTHELSEN:

• Salary-cap increases. He said they have a 16 percent increase in franchise-player numbers.
• Steve Hutchinson. See above mention.
• Signing-bonus forfeiture. The players continue to fight teams' efforts to revoke portions of bonuses from players who violate or are accused of violating terms of the deals. Ashley Lelie's situation in Denver comes to mind. The players won a case over a disputed $1.1 million option bonus.

VINCENT:

• Gene Upshaw. Vincent confirmed that Upshaw is signed through 2010. He said it's important for the players to have stability while the league breaks in a new commissioner.
• Retired players. "You can't please everybody," Vincent said. He said he's tired of older players talking only about money when it comes to improving bennies. He would prefer the retired guys and current players to improve their relationship first.
• Player conduct. "I'm concerned," he said. Vincent said he wants to have "state of the superstars" meeting with top younger players to figure out what guys are going through and what they are thinking.
• Substance abuse. Vincent said he's happy with progress on this front.