"The NFL is negotiating with TV networks about a new early-season eight-game package that would start as soon as next season, according to several sources.

The potential Thursday night package could be worth as much as $700 million per year, the sources said. Such a windfall, providing a sudden increase in overall league revenue, could help soften the blow to the players from the emerging labor deal in which they are likely to receive a smaller percentage of revenue than they previously have received.

The new package would not affect NFL Network's schedule of live games, as the league has decided to keep its channel's eight-game Thursday night slate in the second half of the season intact.

The NFL declined to comment.

The league is shopping the early-season package to interested networks. Sources said the league currently has the rights to take enough games from CBS and Fox's Sunday afternoon schedules to fill the new eight-game package and does not have to wait for those contracts to expire after the 2013 season.

The new revenue could offer solace to the league after it was rebuffed on its efforts to expand the schedule to 18 games from 16 games. The players have fought fiercely against that proposal, so in a way, the league is selling a new half-season this way.

Turner and Comcast have emerged as the most serious bidders for such a package. Comcast wants the package for Versus, while Turner, which carried a Sunday night NFL package on TNT from 1990-97, has privately craved returning NFL games to its schedule. Turner could put the package on TBS, TNT or truTV.

Fox is expected to kick the tires on a package for its FX network, but cable industry sources said cable operators have surcharge protection against FX, which would make it difficult for FX to afford such a package."