NFL.com reports that Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess did not report to the voluntary practices because he is holding out.
Burgess, who has had more sacks over the past two seasons — 27 — than anyone else in the NFL, is still playing under his original 5 year, $15 million contract. It is, however, very early to judge how long this holdout will last and whether or not it will affect his relationship with the team, though I am guessing it will not.
Every underpaid player — at least underpaid by in his mind and (especially) his agent’s — who strings together a couple great seasons goes through this process. It does not mean there is a problem between the player and team, but if a player earns more money that his contract is worth, he deserves a better deal. And so players hold out, teams hold out, and ESPN reports every minute of the process leading up to preseason until we all get a little bit sick of it; and then it ends, more often than not, with the player’s return.
Burgess deserves his new contract and the Raiders, the butt of all NFL jokes last season, will give it to him. Especially considering that, despite a horrific season, the Raiders’ defense was certainly respectable. Actually, if you would have combined Oakland’s defense with almost any other offense in the league, you would build a .500+ team, not the 2-14 atrocity that took the field last season.
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