One, OTAs, is a voluntary workout in the spring that does not have a financial penalty for abstaining.
The other is a mandatory camp weeks before the regular season that does have a pretty heavy financial penalty for missing.
I'm not sure how you can say these two things are the same.
Not participating in a team activity, and using it as a way to call attention to your contract situation is pretty much the same thing. They were both doing it, the team activity is moot.
As far as AJ, you'll have to substantiate your claim that there was an "agreement in principle" for him to attend training camp, because I have read nothing to support that particular assertion. I'm not saying that you are wrong, but just that I have read nothing in reading those articles that reveals a deal was in place just waiting for signatures.
Yeah, gonna have to backtrack on that one. I thought they had a deal, apparently he ended his holdout once Rick Smith and his agent agreed to meet to discuss an extension/new deal:
LINK
You know what they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease...
"Drawback" for a RB is age? How about that being a primary issue, considering the average career length of power rushers in the NFL.
I do not see it as an apt comparison to use different positions when one clearly has a much shorter life cycle on average in the NFL. Not too many RBs are running hard in their mid-30's, and very rarely when they are power running backs.
Yeah, I agree that the Jags are doing the right thing by not giving him an extension with new money. I also think AJ didn't really need an extension either. Coincidentally, AJ was also 28 when his holdout was going on, but as you say the NFL lifespan of a WR is very different from a RB. In any case, I don't think it's smart for any player to be under contract for more than 5 years at any given time. Given the nature of the sport, it's not prudent to take on the risk of injury and be stuck with the bill for a player who can no longer perform.
That's not what you said at the time. As a matter of fact, you're words were that the team OWED it to AJ for restructuring his previous deal to benefit the team's salary cap:
You can't have it both ways. Was AJ selfish or did the Texans owe it to him?
Yeah, I still agree with that post, and yes asking for more money with 5 years left on a deal is greedy. Sure he has done plenty to help out this team by restructuring his deal, but that doesn't mean this instance wasn't greedy.
That post you quoted was saying to take the existing contract and move a bunch of money to the uncapped year, then guarantee the last couple years at 5 million each, because he only had 15 mill guaranteed. I don't believe I ever advocated giving him 2 years and 23-38 million more. If they did what I suggested, we wouldn't be worrying about money to re-sign Barwin. Instead we have a 10 million dollar WR that we knew we were going to keep. I mean, talk about a missed opportunity, I know hindsight is 20/20, but c'mon Rick! They could have given him all/most of that new money as a roster bonus in 2010, and have it all off the books right now. It's a shame our team didn't take advantage of that year like many others did. We will be paying for that mistake next offseason when we lose guys like Quin, McCain or Barwin.
My take in that thread was that AJ was this franchise's sole superstar and they will take care of him as a business decision and public relations / locker room positive boost.
Agreed, I just don't like the method they used. The Texans gave him some new money, 2 more years, and now we have caphits from AJ's deal through 2016, regardless of what happens to him or what team he's on.
'eh, like I said, I do not see WR and RB as being comparable positions. Paying a 28 year old power runner a new contract for $8 million a year is not a good business decision.
Yep, that's why the Jags paid a 25 year old RB 8 million a year, timing the deal to run out just as he hits 30, when he will be cheaper to retain. The Jags GM did the right thing, and not caving in to his demands is the right way to go IMO. My issue with the MJD thing is the way Kahn is handling it, I could never see Bob McNair saying a star player's holdout is not causing the team any stress. It's a crappy way to do business and it makes the whole organization look bad.
MJD's position with the Jaguars today is simply not the same as AJ's relevance with the Texans in 2010. And that's my point. If this was Calvin Johnson holding out with the Lions, I could see the comparison with AJ's situation.
Obviously, the Jaguars do not feel the same way about MJD right now as the Texans FO felt about AJ in 2010.
See, I think MJD is the heart of their offense and the figurehead of the team. He was drafted by the Jags and has been with the team for 7 years. In 2010, AJ and Mario were our two big stars, and everyone around the league respected AJ and saw him as the biggest star of the team. I think up until this holdout, MJD was thought of similarly. He's still the best known Jaguar on the team, and has been since Fred Taylor left.
