Deserters & Rebellious – and the highlights of offseason workout-NFL feature
Over the last couple of weeks, a number of teams have started their offseason voluntary workout regimen, which is stuck between the National Football League (NFL) Free Agency and 2012 NFL draft and has made headlines here and there.
Nothing much is heard, written or read about what is happening on the field, actually. So, it turns out to be a phase of lull and dull activity.
Interestingly, a couple of teams have come out into the workout with one or more than one rebellious figure with them. Those rebellious and deserters happened to be the only notables of the workout.
A majority of them have decided to remain on the sidelines on the fence to protest their demands for long-term hefty deals, respectively.
For example, Mike Wallace of the Pittsburgh Steelers is pleading his case for a deal worth of not less than $120 million. So, his case has made the headlines, for a couple of times, at least.
Earlier, the famous Raven, Joe Flacco, who is well known due to his outspoken attitude, had sounded very threatening indeed, warning the managers of skipping the workout.
He soon came to the realisation that he is not left with any choice. He immediately succumbed to the pressure of his own demand and ended up joining his teammates for the workout from very first day.
His teammate, running back, Ray Rice, is another player pressing his managers for a fresh and expensive deal.
According to the player, he has played out his previous deal and even though he still has a year left on it, he wants a new and hefty contract.
Good luck to him, but he might not have as brighter prospects as he might have had thought of in the first place. Apparently, the managers remain unmoved by the demands of all these players.
Wallace has also loudly protested about his demand of a long-term deal. In spite of assurance from the franchise’s president, Art Rooney II, about getting a new deal, he is too anxious to see it happening at once.
So far, a formal process of negotiations for the deal has not begun. He is probably the only player, who stands losing more than gaining anything at all out of his protest.
The problem is that he has killed his chances with his own hands. Since receiving the franchise tender, which made him a restricted free agent, he has not attracted a single interest from elsewhere in the league.
Moreover, he continues to refuse signing of the tender in protest of his demand. He has the June 15, 2012 deadline to sign the tender. Otherwise, he will lose more than 75 percent in the tender’s value of $2.7 million. It is the only chance for him to save
himself from humiliation.
He must be aware that Steelers are well in control of the situation now. They have time and space to play around the deal issue as long as they want.
Apart from the deals and payout controversies, a number of players have opted out of their respective workouts because of their preoccupation in family engagements.
Some of them are celebrating their marriages while others are engaged in the pre-wedding arrangements.
There are a couple of other reasons to skip the workout. For example, cornerback, Aaron Ross, has been given a leave from the Jacksonville Jaguars to skip the workout to be with his wife at the forthcoming London Olympics. His wife is an athlete, and will
be competing for different events in the games.
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