NEW YORK — Think back four months to that disappointing day in March when the NFL lockout began. The general opinion was the owners and players would reach a new labor agreement long before training camps opened.

They had plenty of time and about 9 billion reasons to get it done.

Well, some training camps open at the end of next week, and the two sides have not yet gotten it done. Yes, they are closer than ever, with several key issues — particularly how to split more than $9 billion in revenues — just about settled.

But there is serious doubt that a disruption to the preseason can be avoided. Although the regular season still appears safe, the situation isn’t as simple as shaking hands and going back to business as usual, even assuming owners and players patched everything up when face-to-face talks resume Wednesday — an unlikely scenario.