The previous adage is that huge receivers are extra generally divas than every other place group in sports activities.
The following few weeks received’t do something to quash that stereotype.
The Minnesota Vikings made Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past with a four-year, $140 million extension this summer time. Star receivers from California to Texas to Florida are prepared for his or her pay bump and able to maintain out of coaching camp if essential.
With camp report dates a number of weeks away, listed below are eight holdouts and potential holdouts value monitoring. Let’s order these from the obvious (some are already taking place) to the extra speculative prospects.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb
Most Individuals will not be followers of America’s Workforce, so we’ll gladly snicker at Jerry Jones’ continued (mal)follow of sitting on his palms and letting market values rise when his No. 1 quarterback, huge receiver, and defensive participant all want new contracts. Lamb skipped obligatory minicamp, and studies say he received’t report back to coaching camp and not using a new deal. This one may get ugly (or humorous, for Dallas haters). The Cowboys are additionally coping with a quarterback on a lame-duck deal. Dak Prescott is within the closing yr of a four-year, $140 million contract.
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco 49ers huge receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) throughout a press convention earlier than Tremendous Bowl LVIII at Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa. Necessary Credit score: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities Was that Deebo Samuel was the Niners’ greatest malcontent.
This summer time, Aiyuk has publicly stirred the pot about his contract state of affairs whereas making goo-goo eyes at Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, his onetime school teammate, suggesting he’d desire a commerce to Washington. Extension and commerce appear to be the one two outcomes, and Aiyuk clearly isn’t going to be a passive participant within the negotiations.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase
Cincinnati Bengals huge receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) smiles after finishing a deep cross within the first quarter of the NFL Week 15 recreation between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings at PayCor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Chase’s teammate Tee Higgins received’t be a holdout risk now that he’s signed his franchise tender. He’ll both get a long-term deal earlier than the July 15 deadline or play on the tag.
However the Bengals’ entrance workplace should get transferring on an excellent greater deal for an excellent increased precedence: their bona fide star, whose worth went up when Jefferson obtained paid. Chase could also be a “hold-in” candidate.
Jets EDGE Haason Reddick
Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Jets linebacker Haason Reddick sits courtroom facet throughout the fourth quarter between the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings at Madison Sq. Backyard. Necessary Credit score: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports activities If the Cowboys are the best workforce to snicker at, No. 2 on that record are the Jets, whose newest misstep was to commerce for Reddick apparently and not using a plan to provide him the long-term deal he needed from Philadelphia. It wasn’t a shining second for coach Robert Saleh when he admitted final month he hasn’t even spoken with the double-digit sackmaster, who’s but to report back to the workforce.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill leaves the sphere at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami. supply: Getty Photographs Hill’s four-year, $120 million deal in 2022 made him the highest-paid receiver on the time. He truly has the most important cap hit of anybody at his place this yr! However once more, that pesky market has reset, and Hill is brazenly in search of a brand new contract from Miami.
Browns WR Amari Cooper
Dec 24, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Cleveland Browns huge receiver Amari Cooper (2) on the sideline throughout the fourth quarter in opposition to the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports activities Yet one more confirmed wideout who didn’t report back to obligatory minicamp. Cooper, the primary participant in Cleveland historical past with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, is getting into the ultimate yr of his contract. He watched the Browns instantly lengthen Jerry Jeudy once they acquired him, though he’s youthful than the 30-year-old Cooper.
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton
Nov 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos huge receiver Courtland Sutton (14) catches a landing over Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) within the fourth quarter at Empower Area at Mile Excessive. credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports activities Sutton’s profession accomplishments up to now are nothing in comparison with guys like Hill, Chase and Lamb.
Nonetheless, he’s the clear-cut No. 1 receiver on a foul Denver workforce; he caught 10 touchdowns a yr in the past, and he is aware of he’s due for more cash. After coming to obligatory minicamp, he solely mentioned, “We’ll see” when requested if he’d maintain out of coaching camp.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa on the Professional Bowl Video games. supply: Getty Photographs A quarterback holdout? On this economic system?
Folks like NFL analyst Ryan Clark have advocated for Tagovailoa to remain off the follow subject till he will get paid. The going charge for younger franchise quarterbacks (Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and, a bit extra controversially, Trevor Lawrence) is $55 million a yr, and Tagovailoa is on file as saying “the market is the market.” Hmm.
