As the NFL and the NFL Players Association continue to negotiate a settlement for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there is a chance that the talks will continue past the initial midnight Thursday deadline. The two sides are discussing extending the deadline before the old CBA expires and a lockout begins, according to a report by Sports Illustrated's Jim Trotter.

Source: NFL's owners and players discussing extending deadline. no decision made yet.     

Trotter reports that the owners requested the extension, and the players are waiting to see if it is a "serious step" toward an eventual agreement instead of just postponing the inevitable. Earlier, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that talk of extending the deadline was a "definite possibility."

If the deadline is not extended, the league will be locked out at 11:59 on Thursday night. The union can then vote to decertify itself, which could lead to more legal action. An extension of the deadline would allow for more time to try to reach an agreement.