Read More: Roddy White (WR – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

Over the several days there have been reports that the NFL owners and players are getting very close to a labor agreement that would end the NFL lockout. The details might be different from person to person but the end result seems close.

Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Roddy White appeared on ESPN Tuesday to talk about the lockout and said that he’s been told teams are expecting players back at work by the beginning of next week…assuming the deal is done.

I think it’ll be done by at least Thursday, cause they want to get everyone in the building by Monday or Tuesday, so, you know, I’m excited. I’m ready to go back to my locker. Just sit back in my locker and just wait for my teammates to walk through the door and handshakes and things like that. Get ready to get on this grind and go out there and win us a Super Bowl.

The Atlanta Falcons are back at work today and their first-round bye in the playoffs should give them a nice advantage on the Green Bay Packers, who they host in Saturday night’s divisional round.

Players are required to have one day off each week, and the Falcons already took care of that by giving the team Sunday off. Today’s practice will be a walk-through to help go through some of Green Bay’s schemes.

Starting Tuesday, the Falcons will move their usual schedule up a day. Tuesday’s practice will be like a regular-season Wednesday. That means it will be the toughest practice of the week and players will fulfill most of their media obligations after Tuesday’s practice.

The Falcons will follow a similar schedule Wednesday and Thursday and hold a light walk-through practice Friday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos will interview Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for their vacant head coaching position this week.

The team announced via its official Twitter account Tuesday that Mularkey would be interviewed Friday in Atlanta. The Falcons are off this week after earning a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Mularkey was head coach in Buffalo from 2004-05 and has been with the Falcons since 2008.

John Elway will be introduced as the Broncos’ new chief football executive this week, and he’ll interview Denver interim coach Eric Studesville for the full-time job next week. Studesville was promoted from running backs coach when Josh McDaniels was fired a month ago.

The Cleveland Browns also will interview Mularkey for their head coaching job.

Mularkey said Tuesday he has been contacted by the Browns and Denver Broncos. He said he will speak with both teams “at the end of the week.”

CINCINNATI: Marvin Lewis is staying as Bengals coach. Lewis agreed to a contract extension on Tuesday. The Bengals are coming off a 4-12 season. They’ve had only two winning records during Lewis’ eight seasons, which would get a coach fired in most NFL cities. In Cincinnati, Lewis’ 60-69-1 record wasn’t a deal breaker.

SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers have gotten permission to talk to Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson about their head coach opening.

DALLAS: Jason Garrett may soon know whether his half-season audition was good enough to make him coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Team owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show Tuesday morning that he could have a decision as soon as the afternoon. He added that “we probably won’t be ready to talk about this until tomorrow some time.”

Jones was expected to be headed to New Orleans later Tuesday to watch his alma mater, Arkansas, play in the Sugar Bowl.