Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell (AP)

The NFL owners and players will reportedly meet on Wednesday and Thursday this week in a suburb of Boston in the latest attempt to bring an end to the lockout.

The two sides, led by commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith, are hoping to continue the reported momentum that has been generated over the last two weeks, momentum that has sparked cautious optimism that a deal between the two sides could be reached sooner rather than later.

In a brief session with reporters on Tuesday, Goodell acknowledged the “urgency” of the situation if the two sides do indeed want the preseason to begin on time, adding, “time is moving quickly, and we are fast approaching the training camp period.” Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke briefly with reporters on his way out of the meeting, saying, “It’s good that things are moving in the right direction. We’ve got a lot of hard work to do.”

The work stoppage, which reached 101 days on Tuesday, is the longest in NFL history.