Steel Wheels
Cheesehead
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2005
- Messages
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JAVON NEXT TO WALK AWAY FROM HOLDOUT?
With Terrell Owens finally realizing that a violation of his pending football contract could cost him a lot of money in the short term (and in the long run), we can't help but wonder whether another high-profile potential holdout, Javon Walker, will reach the same conclusion.
Recently, agent Drew Rosenhaus said that Walker likely won't report to camp, and that the catalyst was a letter received from G.M. Ted Thompson confirming the team's refusal to extend Walker's contract or to trade him.
The letter, which we're told actually was signed by contract negotiator Andrew Brandt, merely makes clear what most had suspected ever since Walker stayed away from offseason workouts -- the Packers won't relinquish its right to expect Walker to show up and play for the two years remaining on his rookie deal.
And we've learned that, if Walker fails to report for training camp, the team can recover half of his 2003 option bonus. If he misses regular season games, the Packers also can recover the corresponding portions of his 2002 signing bonus, on a prorated basis.
Finally, it's hardly a given that Walker has "outperformed" his contract (and thus merits a new one), even if we accept (and we officially don't) the notion that a player automatically is entitled to forget about the contract that he has signed if it appears in hindsight that the team has gotten a good bargain.
Walker received more than $5 million from the Packers in 2002 and 2003, but started in only five games and caught only 64 passes.
And, as far as we know, he didn't pay any of the money back.
Even with his breakout season of 2004, his career totals (153 catches, 2417 yards, 22 touchdowns) are borderline laughable in comparison to the first three seasons of production generated by Randy Moss (226, 4163, 43).
So, Javon, maybe you should think this through before incurring the same potential expenses (fines, lost bonus money, lost game checks) that have prompted T.O. to turn tail and run to camp.
There's no shame, after all, in making smart decisions.
Or in doing the right thing.
With Terrell Owens finally realizing that a violation of his pending football contract could cost him a lot of money in the short term (and in the long run), we can't help but wonder whether another high-profile potential holdout, Javon Walker, will reach the same conclusion.
Recently, agent Drew Rosenhaus said that Walker likely won't report to camp, and that the catalyst was a letter received from G.M. Ted Thompson confirming the team's refusal to extend Walker's contract or to trade him.
The letter, which we're told actually was signed by contract negotiator Andrew Brandt, merely makes clear what most had suspected ever since Walker stayed away from offseason workouts -- the Packers won't relinquish its right to expect Walker to show up and play for the two years remaining on his rookie deal.
And we've learned that, if Walker fails to report for training camp, the team can recover half of his 2003 option bonus. If he misses regular season games, the Packers also can recover the corresponding portions of his 2002 signing bonus, on a prorated basis.
Finally, it's hardly a given that Walker has "outperformed" his contract (and thus merits a new one), even if we accept (and we officially don't) the notion that a player automatically is entitled to forget about the contract that he has signed if it appears in hindsight that the team has gotten a good bargain.
Walker received more than $5 million from the Packers in 2002 and 2003, but started in only five games and caught only 64 passes.
And, as far as we know, he didn't pay any of the money back.
Even with his breakout season of 2004, his career totals (153 catches, 2417 yards, 22 touchdowns) are borderline laughable in comparison to the first three seasons of production generated by Randy Moss (226, 4163, 43).
So, Javon, maybe you should think this through before incurring the same potential expenses (fines, lost bonus money, lost game checks) that have prompted T.O. to turn tail and run to camp.
There's no shame, after all, in making smart decisions.
Or in doing the right thing.