The infamy of having rookie holdouts

[Darkiller]

That is something I just don't understand.

the Draft being held every year in April...well, every year, the rookies 1st round picks are NOT signed when training camps open !!!

That schedule gives 3 full months to everybody to negotiate..but NO they always wait until the very last day....and now, more and more often, they wait for the 1st week of training camp to be completed before inking a contract and bringing the rookie in. Why ? because they wait for the guy just above to have his own contract signed, so to have a pattern for negotiation. OK. But since everyone does this…waits and waits…nothing materializes.
Basically, the franchises are the first accountables for this mess since they are the one making the first proposal to the player and its agent.

But, as a matter of fact, whatever the first proposal will be from the team :
It will be regarded as either two low financially and too early to signed…so the waiting game continues.

“Why sign now when all of the other draftees will wait until late July, don’t be the fool one to ink something, trust me and wait a few more weeks..”

this is typical Agent-to-player discussion in June when teams start putting some pressure for something to be done.
Why not Draft players in June then ? yeah…after the June 1st cuts so that teams have a clearer picture of who’s available, who’s not here and will then draft maybe even more according to their true priorities/needs.

That would make the draft an even better tool for teams no ?

Who cares if the players are drafted in June instead of April (except Tagliabue and the NFL who NEEDS to have some kind of football event in the middle of that long off-season to keep fans happy). Who cares because no matter what, this exciting 1st round pick you crave about won’t be here until late July (for the lucky ones) / early August….not counting those infamous holdouts who join un late October without training ….

No, this current situation is an aberration and shouldn’t happen that way. In a perfect world, the rookie signs within the month of his being drafted and participates in every mini-camps and is here one day early before Training camp officially starts.

Here is one example of an aberration, but every team basically, will recognize itself here :
The 49ers open training camp thursday…and of course their n°1 pick (OT Kwame Harris) is unsigned –for the record “he has yet to hear from the 49ers” from a negotiation standpoint * no comment-. Problem is, the current starter (Derrick Deese) has a lingering injury and will miss some valuable training camp time…where is the future at the position ? where is our rookie ? that should be the exact time for him to get some reps with the 1st team and learn his future job…but NO.

Unsigned means, holdout. He’s not here…won’t train, won’t learn..won’t be ready.

If I’m the only one to be shocked by this whole thing, than I might as well plunge my head in the sand…

[Kam]

I heard that one reason very few players have signed is because the salary cap did not rise very much this year, and so in turn, the pool for signing rookies was almost stagnant. Therefore, the rookies this year will be signing for almost the same amount that rookies signed for last year. Obviously the rookies are not completely happy about this.

The expectation is that the rookies will sign as the rest of the team rosters are set, and whatever additional money available for performance bonuses that can be given to the rookies will be determined, thereby allowing this year's rookies to make more than last year's rookies.

[EagleFan]

Gotta feel sorry for those poor rookies, they have to settle for the same million dollar contract as last year's rookies. It just breaks my heart.

Unfortunately the late signing problem will never be solved. The agents will alway drag their feet, hoping to squeeze a couple more drops of blood from the stone.

The only way it would be solved is if they came up with a set salary structure for the draft picks (that would have room for fluctuation with the cap changes). Of course the players union would never go for that (they always worry about getting more money for the stars instead of thinking that they might actually be helping some players make more than they might through negotiating).

[Cards4ever]

I think #13 signed yesterday, so that should spur some more signings. That's usually how it works, you get one guy to set the standard, then every pick around that uses that for their bonus.

[JPhillips]

How freakin crazy is it that the Bengals lead the league in draftee signings?

[ScottVib]

Originally posted by JPhillips
How freakin crazy is it that the Bengals lead the league in draftee signings?

Actually the Patriots have signed their full draft class already.

Edit - Source:

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/20...n_place+.shtml

[SteelerFan448]

Many teams can't even sign until after June 1st and their cuts to make room. There really is no reason why players from the 3rd round on aren't signed yet. Typically you don't see too long of holdouts from first rounders, maybe a day to a week tops.

[Darkiller]

Just to illustrate what I said :
this comes from Baltimore and Kyle Boller not being in camp :

"Billick to Boller: Be there or forget chance to start"
Ravens' QB told presence at camp Monday is must

http://www.sunspot.net/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens22jul22,0,3757623.story?coll=bal-sports-football

[Darkiller]

For the record...
Class of 2002 signings

Date Player Team Selection
Late April QB David Carr Houston Texans 1
June 19 DE Bryan Thomas N.Y. Jets 22
July 18 OLB Napoleon Harris Oakland Raiders 23
July 20 TE Daniel Graham New England Patriots 21
July 23 DE Julius Peppers Carolina Panthers 2
July 23 WR Javon Walker Green Bay Packers 20
July 23 OLB Robert Thomas St. Louis Rams 31
July 24 QB Joey Harrington Detroit Lions 3
July 24 CB Lito Sheppard Philadelphia Eagles 26
July 24 CB Mike Rumph San Francisco 49ers 27
July 25 DT John Henderson Jacksonville Jaguars 9
July 25 OT Levi Jones Cincinnati Bengals 10
July 25 CB Phillip Buchanon Oakland Raiders 17
July 25 WR Ashley Lelie Denver Broncos 19
July 25 OT Kendall Simmons Pittsburgh Steelers 30
July 26 OT Mike Williams Buffalo Bills 4
July 26 DE Dwight Freeney Indianapolis Colts 11
July 26 DE Charles Grant New Orleans Saints 25
July 26 OT Marc Colombo Chicago Bears 29
July 27 RB William Green Cleveland Browns 16
July 28 SS Roy Williams Dallas Cowboys 8
July 28 WR Donte' Stallworth New Orleans Saints 13
July 29 TE Jeremy Shockey New York Giants 14
July 30 TE Jerramy Stevens Seattle Seahawks 28
July 31 DT Albert Haynesworth Tennessee Titans 15
Aug. 2 RB T.J. Duckett Atlanta Falcons 18
Aug. 5 FS Edward Reed Baltimore Ravens 24
Aug. 8 QB Patrick Ramsey Washington Redskins 32
Sept. 4 DT Ryan Sims Kansas City Chiefs 6
Sept. 9 CB Quentin Jammer San Diego Chargers 5
Sept. 12 DT Wendell Bryant Arizona Cardinals 12
Nov. 1 OT Bryant McKinnie Minnesota Vikings 7

[Syrinx]

Isn't there a league rule in place that says that the rookies can’t show up to training camp until they are signed? Similar to the stupid rule at the beginning of the off-season that doesn’t allow rookies of any kind to participate with their team if their college class hasn’t graduated, even if they are no longer attending the college. I can’t remember who, but someone got caught up in this earlier this year.

I know there is also the common thinking, “I don’t want to show up before I have signed, in case I get injured.”

Also, with the top selection being signed before the draft these days, isn’t it kind of the fault of the team with the number 2 pick for not getting things started? It’s not like they are waiting on the pick above them to get a contract signed, to start the ball rolling.

[Darkiller]

exactly...

[condors]

the problem is the 4th pick QB signed and got a 12 million dollar bonus vs 1st pick getting 13 million bonus the 2nd and 3rd pick want that kinda bonus i think it was the third pick was being offered like 8 million dollar bonus, and the signing bonus is a big factor (espcially when so many rookies never get another contract)

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Syrinx
Isn't there a league rule in place that says that the rookies can’t show up to training camp until they are signed?

Yes, everyone in camp must have some kind of contract, as part of the CBA. Most of the guys considered borderline to make the team or known to be camp fodder get signing bonuses which is essentially their pay for camp. They end up not counting against the cap because they are not among the highest 53 cap charges.

[Syrinx]

Originally posted by Samdari
Yes, everyone in camp must have some kind of contract, as part of the CBA....

That's what I thought. So why is it that coaches always compalin, well so-and-so rookie needs to get his butt in here, he can't fight for a job if he's not here. When his own Front Office is the one preventing the rookie from coming to camp by not getting the deal done. It seems to me (and I could be way off) that most of the times it's the team that is slow in getting this process started, and comes along with lowball contracts that just prolong the process.

I don't know the solution, but i know it frustrates me to no end.

[Darkiller]

to add some fuel to the fire...
I guess we're not over with yet.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/duane_cross/news/2003/07/23/rookies_training_camp/

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Syrinx
So why is it that coaches always compalin, well so-and-so rookie needs to get his butt in here, he can't fight for a job if he's not here. When his own Front Office is the one preventing the rookie from coming to camp by not getting the deal done. It seems to me (and I could be way off) that most of the times it's the team that is slow in getting this process started, and comes along with lowball contracts that just prolong the process.

Why does it seem to be the team's fault? Aren't there two parties involved, who have partially conflicting interests?

It seems hard to pin this all on the team offices - of course they'd rather have the player signed and in camp. They aren't total idiots (well, Cincinnati maybe). But they also cannot afford to get pushed around -- if they over pay their guy this year, then they will quickly get a reputatuion as soft, and next year's guy will up his demands.

I also don't think it's fair to single out the players' side, either. Just because they are talking about money that's beyond what most of us can fathom doesn't mean they shouldn't be fighting for everything they can. Why accept $8 million when there's a perfectly good argument you should get $12 million? How is walking away from millions of dollars "smart" here?


It's a two-sided negotiation, and if you single out one side and hold them fully responsible, you ignore the very idea of what negotiation is all about.

[Bee]

I wouldn't mind seeing the NFL slot the draft picks in a similar manner to what the NBA does. That way there really isn't much negotiating. Everyone knows what will be paid and the contract length and rookies will get into camp on time. Of course, the NFLPA will never allow it because of the potential damage to the agents (who have to pay a yearly fee to the NFLPA to represent the players).

[MIJB#19]

So why doesn't the NFL addopt locked salaries for each draft pick?
Somthing like:
#1 pick should get a ... year deal with a signing bonus of ... dollars and a base salary of ... dollars in ..., ... in ..., etc.

[Bee]

Because some rookies wouldn't hire agents if the salary was predetermined...and the agents pay a "registration fee" to the NFLPA in order to represent NFL players. No way the NFLPA would risk losing that revenue from the agents.