DeMaurice Smith was elected yesterday as the new executive director of the NFL Players Association at Wailea, Maui, succeeding the late Gene Upshaw and challenged with leading the union into a critical new era.

Smith was chosen as the union's fourth leader in its 41-year history, and follows Upshaw, who died in August. The NFL outsider has served as an attorney in Washington.

"Let's get to work," Smith told the membership when the vote was announced.

Smith was elected by a vote behind closed doors at the posh Fairmont Kea Lani resort where the union has been meeting. The player reps heard from the four candidates Saturday and once again yesterday, with the candidates providing their closing arguments before the voting began by secret ballot.

The reps emerged with their selection 90 minutes later.

Smith is an NFL outsider who has no labor law experience, but has ties to President Barack Obama and worked with new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He's a trial lawyer and partner at the influential Washington-based Patton Boggs, and chair of the firm's government investigations and white collar practice group. He has represented Fortune 500 companies in numerous cases. A native Washingtonian, Smith earned his law degree at Virginia in 1989, and has been a frequent guest commentator on many cable television news programs.

Despite his lack of familiarity with NFL players, he beat out three strong contenders: former NFLPA presidents Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong, and sports attorney David Cornwell, who re-emerged as a candidate after receiving the necessary written support of three player reps.

Smith is now faced with uniting the ranks as the NFLPA looks ahead to numerous challenges following 25 years under Upshaw.

In the coming months, the new director will enter talks with the NFL after owners opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement last year. If a new deal is not struck within two years, there is a chance for a work stoppage affecting the 2011 season.

Compounding the importance of the negotiations is an economic meltdown that could damage the NFL's revenue-generating ability and entrench owners to hold their ground in seeking givebacks from players. Owners argue that the current agreement is too favorable for players, who get about 60 percent of applicable revenues.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already raised the possibility of a rookie salary cap, a move that would significantly pare the multi-million-dollar deals going to unproven first-round draft picks.

Another unresolved issue is the rift that's grown between the union and its retired players, some of whom feel disenfranchised.

BRONCOS

QB CUTLER, COACH MEET

Jay Cutler finally met face-to-face with Josh McDaniels over the weekend in Englewood, Colo., but nothing was resolved, leading to doubt the quarterback will show up for the new coach's first team meeting today.

The Denver Broncos' coach and Pro Bowl quarterback, who are involved in a simmering feud over trade talks, met Saturday at the team's training facility, and both sides agreed to regroup and continue conversations, team spokesman Patrick Smyth told The Associated Press.

It wasn't clear if the sides planned to meet again yesterday.

On Saturday, Cutler and his agent, Bus Cook, met with McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders in what the Broncos described as mild-mannered conversations at Dove Valley.

Denver station KCNC-TV reported that the meeting didn't go well, however, and The Denver Post reported that words were exchanged between Cutler and McDaniels.

Cook didn't return phone messages left by the AP yesterday.

The Broncos insist they're not going to trade Cutler, who just played in his first Pro Bowl.