Posted by Ryan Wilson

It's Day 126 of the lockout but here's the latest evidence that the 2011 NFL season could be just days away: PFT reported Monday night that the Packers are telling their players to be ready to show up on Saturday, July 23. And ESPN Wisconsin Packers beat writer Jason Wilde seconded the report, calling it "100 percent true" after confirming with two sources.

Specifically, PFT writes: "Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Packers are telling players that the doors will open on Friday, and that the team wants the players in town in order to get started on preparations for training camp and the preseason."

This comes four days after Lions linebacker Zack Follett tweeted that he "Just received word it would be the 25th of July we would be able to report back if a deal got done. Pending approval by all parties."

As we mentioned last week, until the owners and players agree on a new collective bargaining agreement everything is "pending approval," but the two sides have come a long way in the last few weeks, and there's now every reason to believe we'll have actual football very soon.

What this means for the August 7 Hall of Fame Game between the Bears and the Rams is another matter, and there are still the logistics of working out a supplemental draft, and an abbreviated free-agency signing period, along with training camps and the preseason.

But if teams are telling players to be ready to go to work this weekend (even if the NFL hasn't technically given them permission to do so), things are moving in the right direction, and quickly.

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