With NFL mandatory mini-camps having just wrapped up around the league, there’s a renewed feeling of excitement that has been absent since the conclusion of the 2015 NFL Draft. It is a familiar sense of hope and optimism in the air that always seems to ignite in June. Every team is a contender. Every practice rep is a sign of a player’s greatness. Coach-speak and media speculation are the flavors du jour.
Mini-Camps, Wideouts, Breakouts, and Cash
The fact is, it’s difficult to pinpoint how relevant mini-camp performances are in regards to what’s to come for the 2015 season, but analysis is half the fun, and for fan’s of down-trodden franchises, this is the time of the season where every team can be a winner. Let’s take a look at some of the stories that have emerged from mini-camps around the league, and here’s a little spoiler in advance: the theme of the day is wide receivers.
Odell Beckham is still dealing with hamstring issues, and as such was unable to participate in camp this week. While the issues are nothing serious, the sophomore wideout finds himself in this situation for the second time in as many years at the NFL level. The ever-competitive Beckham has expressed frustration at being unable to take part in practice, but the key here is for the Giants’ to be cautious with their superstar. If Beckham and Victor Cruz can be fully healthy for Week One, Ben McAdoo’s offense could prove to be awfully dynamic in year two.
Beckham, however, isn’t the only sophomore receiver in the news right now.
There is no doubt that the Green Bay Packers were expected to field a dynamic offense in 2015, but what if someone were to tell you that it might be even better than anticipated? Brace yourself, because it could very well happen. There’s no debating the talent the Pack has on offense. Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Eddie Lacy, and a certain 2014 MVP quarterback are all primed for another big season, but it might be time to add another name to the mix: Davante Adams.
The second-year pass-catcher was the talk of mini-camp, catching everything thrown his way and earning big-time respect from his coaching staff. Head Coach Mike McCarthy went as far as to refer to Adams as a potential MVP of the team’s off-season program. The youngster flashed big-time potential on a few occasions as a rookie, including posting seven catches, 117 yards, and a touchdown in a playoff victory against the Cowboys. Yes, there are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense, but it’s clear that Adams will be a big part of the team’s game plan in 2015. With so many quality players on the field at the same time, this offense will be tough to stop.
While young receivers are getting a lot of love these days, some of the game’s top pass-catchers are the story of the day, and quite simply, the current landscape of wide receiver contracts is about to be shaken up in a big way.
Dez Bryant, in the midst of his franchise tag standoff with the Dallas Cowboys, didn’t log any practice time but was present for the team’s final session on Thursday. Bryant’s holdout has gotten a lot of publicity this off-season, and it’s questionable as to why.
Several franchise tag recipients around the league haven’t reported to off-season activities this year, but fairly or unfairly, the stories always seem to come back to Bryant. Last week’s report that the 2014 All-Pro might be willing to let his holdout linger into next season clouds the situation, but it’s difficult to imagine the fiery Bryant sitting on the sidelines for too long.
This situation won’t just be heavily scrutinized by fans and the media, however.
Certainly, other wide receivers who are due big-money deals are watching this situation unfold as well. In the AFC, the Broncos’ Demaryius Thomas finds himself in the exact same predicament as Bryant. Thomas has been just as statistically successful as his NFC counter-part, and is also skipping off-season work in the hopes of landing a new deal. It’s difficult to ascertain which superstar’s deal will get done first, but it’s clear that the first pact signed will set the framework for the other.
It doesn’t stop there though.
Bryant and Thomas were the two standout wideouts from the 2010 draft, but the 2011 class produced an equally impressive duo of pass-catchers. The Cincinnati Bengals’ A.J. Green and the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones are both entering the final years of the their rookie contracts, and both men are due monster deals in the near future. It remains to be seen how their respective franchises approach the upcoming contract negotiations. The Bengals and Falcons could lock their superstars into long-term deals during the season, but it’s similarly possible that next year, Green and Jones could find themselves in the exact same situation that Bryant and Thomas are currently experiencing.
With that said, neither man has any intention of staging a holdout of his own in an effort to obtain a long term deal in the immediate future. In fact each man seems content to enter his contract year without a new deal in place. Jones recently confirmed that he has no intention of holding out, and Green hasn’t ever given even the slightest indication that he would consider that course of action this year, simply stating that he’s all right with the situation and isn’t “hurting for money.”
While a lot can change in a year’s time, one thing is certain: these two are about to be paid in a big way. Right after Bryant and Thomas, that is.
