{"id":74363,"date":"2019-10-09T16:10:56","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T20:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=74363"},"modified":"2021-03-17T16:17:08","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T20:17:08","slug":"nfl-holdouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/10\/09\/nfl-holdouts\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Holdouts: Are They a Sign of the Future?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football is back. It is finally everyone\u2019s favorite time of year when you and your friends gather around and begin your first of three fantasy football drafts the week before the regular season starts (don\u2019t want to draft too soon risking injury to your first-round draft pick in the preseason). Only one thing stands in your way \u2013 Melvin Gordon<\/a><\/strong>, your star running back and top points scorer, is holding out to get a new contract with the Los Angeles Chargers<\/a>. That\u2019s OK \u2013 Ezekiel Elliott<\/a><\/strong> is a great second option. What? Oh, right. He’s joining Gordon and others as NFL holdouts to become the highest-paid running back in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Are NFL Holdouts a Sign of the Future?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both Gordon and Zeke followed in the footsteps of Le’Veon Bel<\/strong>l<\/a> this off-season and threatened to sit out the NFL\u2019s 100th season in order to get paid. But to what benefit. Yes, Bell sat out the entire 2018-2019 season with the Steelers who quickly realized they could get comparable productivity from James Conner<\/a><\/strong> just to prove that he was worth more than they were offering \u2013 and yes, he got paid. But to what avail? Bell winds up on the New York Jets<\/a> as one of the few star players on the team\u2019s young offense. However, already going into the fifth weekend of the NFL regular season, Bell has put up pedestrian numbers although receiving a large workload with quarterback Sam Darnold<\/a><\/strong> out with mononucleosis the last three weeks. On 71 attempts through the Jets first four games (Week 4 Bye), Bell has only managed 206 yards rushing and has a season-long rush of\u2026 wait for it \u2013 13 yards. His receiving stats aren\u2019t anything to write home about either with again, an impressive 27 receptions on 32 targets but for only 166 total yards and one touchdown.<\/p>\n

So yes, Bell got paid the $61 million max deal<\/a> he believes he deserves ($35 million guaranteed), but lines up each week behind arguably one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. What\u2019s the money worth? Worth more than the potential to win one, two, three Super Bowls? What about the longevity of his career? Lining up behind the offensive line that has given up 23 sacks in four weeks of play isn\u2019t doing anyone any favors.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Melvin Gordon<\/a> and Ezekiel Elliott<\/a> followed suit. Zeke got paid \u2013 big time with a six-year, $90 million contract extension essentially guaranteeing him a Cowboy for life. Gordon did not and rejoined the team after Week 3 after the team denied his request to be traded \u2013 at least this season.<\/p>\n

Of course, we would be na\u00efve to think that the NFL holdouts would begin and end with running backs, wouldn\u2019t we? Shortly into the regular season, Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a> cornerback Jalen Ramsey<\/a><\/strong> demands a trade after a sideline altercation with head coach Doug Marrone<\/a><\/strong> during their Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans<\/a>. But what does Ramsey want? Money? A team that he sees he fits better with?<\/p>\n

Fast-forward four weeks through Week 5 of the regular season and Ramsey has not rescinded his request for a trade (in fact, has doubled-down), was on the sideline for the Week 4 victory in Denver, and was also out with a back injury in the Week 5 loss to the Carolina Panthers<\/a>. The team\u2019s owner, Shad Khan, has reiterated that the team is not interested in trading Ramsey anytime soon as he stated that \u201c\u2026I think right now the best thing is to have him be a part of the team\u201d.<\/p>\n

Just hours before kickoff of Week 5 with the seemingly blundering Los Angeles Rams<\/a> visiting the rising Seattle Seahawks<\/a>, one of the top receivers in the league, Stefon Diggs<\/a><\/strong>, has voiced his discontent with the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> organization and overall performance as of late after not participating in the team\u2019s practice session Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

While Diggs has not held out yet, one can\u2019t necessarily blame him for his frustration nor would anyone be surprised if he does sit out beginning this Sunday when they visit the Meadowlands and the ailing New York Giants<\/a> as he is only second on the list of players with the biggest negative difference in targets through five games in the last two years (min. 10 targets both years) with -24. The only other player with fewer targets? The guy who lines up opposite him on the field every week \u2013 teammate Adam Thielen<\/a><\/strong> with -34.<\/p>\n

Naturally, there are many factors at play when considering a player\u2019s wishes for a trade. The player\u2019s value, the organization\u2019s circumstances in relation to its depth chart, and, maybe most importantly, preventing the expansion of the almost cry baby-esque culture that is sitting out when a player isn\u2019t getting what they want.<\/p>\n

This season has seen more NFL holdouts than any season prior and it is up to each of the 32 teams to determine if keeping a holdout player active on their roster throughout an entire season will end up benefiting the organization long-term.<\/p>\n

While NFL holdouts are not a new concept to professional sports, only time will tell how each case impacts both the organization and the player.<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>