This is the day that could determine the immediate future of the NFL. On Thursday the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a 24-hour extension of the current collective bargaining agreement.

Today (Friday) if they agree to a short-term extension of a week or so, that could only mean they are closer to a new agreement than not.

Michael Silver’s excellent piece on yahoosports.com spells it all out.

In it, he writes that “for the first time key figures in each camp believe a deal is highly achievable.’’

It’s not a done deal, but certainly there is optimism.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)