REGINA -- There’s just a week left on the CFL’s imposed July 23 deadline of adopting new COVID-19 protocols, including the negotiations of a collective bargaining agreement with the players.

CFLPA member Brett Lauther said the two sides are not even close to reaching a deal.

“I don’t think it’s shocking to anyone to say right now with where we’re at. At this point, it’s not even the same ball park,” Lauther said.

The CFL originally requested up to $150 million in financial assistance from the federal government, then dropped that amount to $43 million last week. Without knowing if financial assistance is coming, it’s challenging for the CFL to present a detailed CBA.

“The last I did hear was the government understands the urgency we’re in right now,” said Lauther, a kicker with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “They’re doing everything in their power to get an answer sooner rather than later.”

Free agent Thaddeus Coleman has spent the last seven years in the CFL and the previous four with the Riders. He spoke to CTV News on his lunch break with a new construction job in Edmonton.

“I wasn’t sure about the CFL and I still wanted to play and everything,” said Coleman, originally from Illinois, but who now calls Canada home. “I’m like ‘well maybe football won’t happen this year, and if it doesn’t happen this year well let me get a head start on moving on.’”

He’s not the only player frustrated with the situation. Alouettes left tackle Tony Washington aired his disappointment on twitter, saying “The CFL waited til the last minute to give us a deadline… and when we don’t agree, it’s our fault.”

Edmonton’s nine year CFL veteran Almonda Sewell also took to twitter, responding, “if I have to risk my life with COVID-19 and stay in a hotel for 105 days, I want my money guaranteed and more than 33 per cent [of my paycheque], that’s a joke if you vote to play for this.”

“It’s a pretty tough pill to swallow when you’ve watched everyone all season get 80 per cent of their pay,” says Lauther, referring to employees of CFL organizations.

The current proposal is for players to live in a bubble, which is likely in Winnipeg, for over 100 days.

“Why would you do that for that amount of money,” said Coleman. “And your pension, they’re not even paying into the pension.”

Lauther echoed Coleman’s thoughts.

“High risk of injury, high risk of COVID-19, we don’t have the details of if it’s safe or not or if it’s really a bubble or not. So there’s way too many questions right now to think it’s realistic to even take a risk at something like this for such a low number financially.”

Players are trying to stay optimistic, but with a week to go, the 2020 season is still up in the air.