Stud offensive lineman Donald Penn of the Oakland Raiders shocked the world this week when he didn’t show up to training camp, holding out for a bigger contract. It was bizarre because all off-season long, the star left tackle had been towing the company line, speaking highly of Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, Reggie McKenzie, and the Raiders organization. However, there might be more to this situation than meets the eye.
Donald Penn’s Ulterior Motives
Donald Penn turned 34 this year. While offensive linemen typically have longer careers than running backs or wide receivers, playing the position does take an awful toll on their bodies. The players bend, turn, and essentially wrestle freak athletes dozens of times per game, several games a year. The point is, they need some rest too.
At 34 years old, it’s not only possible, but very likely that Donald Penn is just taking training camp off. Many veterans, including Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end, Michael Strahan, have confessed to doing the same in the past. The practices are hot, physical, and while Penn loses a small chunk of his paycheck, he gets to spend more of his summer vacation at home.
Penn is well aware that the Raiders will need to sign Mack, Amari Cooper, and perhaps an inside linebacker in the near future, so every penny saved is precious. It just doesn’t match his character to demand more money in a time where Jack Del Rio and company are struggling to keep the entire family together.
There’s a possibility that Donald Penn feels entitled to a little raise, and it’s easy to see why. After all, he only gave up one sack in 2016, and regardless of how devastating that sack ended up being, that’s an impressive streak. Furthermore, the Raiders just cut Austin Howard because of his bad play. If you can be punished for bad play, shouldn’t you be rewarded for good play?
At the end of the day, it’s hard to imagine a world where Donald Penn isn’t starting at left tackle when the Oakland Raiders open up against the Tennessee Titans this year. Worst case scenario, he’s a little rusty, and best case scenario, he comes into the game a little richer. Either way, it wouldn’t be shocking at all if Penn was holding out to skip the terrors of training camp.
