The current collective bargaining agreement has drastically reduced the leverage of NFL players who want new contracts. But star wide receivers Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, and Terry McLaurin are still going to do whatever they can to get their point across.
ESPN first reported on Twitter that all three are not expected to participate in their respective teams’ on-field offseason programs as a form of protest to reinforce their position that they’re underpaid and want that to change.
Contract situations for Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin
Samuel, who had 1,405 receiving yards and averaged 18.2 yards per catch for the San Francisco 49ers last year, will earn $3.9 million in base salary in 2022. Brown, a Pro Bowler for the Titans in 2020, is set to earn the same. And that’s nearly 50% more than the Commanders’ McLaurin is due.
The contracts of Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin rank 77th, 88th, and 149th in terms of AAV, respectively. They, of course, deserve raises and will eventually get them, if not from their current teams, from their next.
All three without a contract fix would have been underpaid in 2022, even before this offseason’s explosion in wide receiver salaries. Tyreek Hill (four years, $120 million), Davante Adams (five years, $140 million), and Stefon Diggs (four years, $96 million) have helped reset the market.
Still, their decision to skip at least parts of spring ball is largely symbolic. It is an effective way to force the local and national media to shine a light on their situation. But these “holdouts” from largely voluntary practices will largely be forgotten by training camp when all three will almost certainly be in attendance.
They don’t lose a dime for skipping the voluntary workouts. But the fines rack up fast if they boycott mandatory practices. Skipping the compulsory minicamp would cost them upwards of $100,000, and they’ll also lose $40,000 per training camp practice they miss without an excuse.
Are offseason program boycotts an effective way to get a new NFL contract?
The Commanders and Titans open their offseason programs on Monday (April 18). The Niners start Tuesday. McLaurin, according to ESPN, will report, but he is not expected to take the field without a new deal.
Samuel seemed to telegraph his next move a little under two weeks ago when he tweeted the following:
— DeeboSamuel_ (@DeeboSamuel_)
Meanwhile, in Seattle, DK Metcalf will reportedly be among the Seahawks players who report Tuesday for the start of the team’s offseason schedule. Metcalf is in the same contract situation as Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin but apparently doesn’t see the value of skipping the workouts.
In Miami, where the Dolphins’ offseason program is already two weeks old, tight end Mike Gesicki has decided not to make waves over receiving the franchise tag.
“Well, I mean, I’m definitely playing,” Gesicki said last week. “I’m here at OTAs, so – this is obviously optional – so here I am. I want to do whatever I can to help this team win football games.”
