Star players holding out has become a common occurrence within the NFL over the years. Players believe that they deserve a new contract or a certain amount on their deal, so they decide to take some power back from their respective teams. Oftentimes, the team ends up folding or the two sides meet somewhere in the middle.
This offseason, both wide receivers Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys have decided to skip their respective team’s offseason workouts. Both players are entering the upcoming season with the final year of their current contract and both want massive pay raises.
Jefferson is scheduled to earn $19.74 million this season, but he is widely seen as the best wide-out in the NFL. His new contract is expected to beat out Tyreek Hill’s $30 million annual salary whenever he gets a new contract.
As for Lamb, he is scheduled to be paid $17,199 million by Dallas. He will likely receive a large contract extension but isn’t expected to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL.
Both of these players are extremely valuable to the overall success of their teams, so it’s likely that a deal will get done between them at some point. There have been rumors swirling about the Vikings possibly looking to trade Jefferson, but their general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah quickly shut it down.
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on if he’s considered trading Justin Jefferson
“That’s is not something that has once crossed my mind. You’ve got a blue player, blue person. You try and keep as many of those as you can.”
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) February 27, 2024
If the Vikings ever were to trade Jefferson, whatever team acquiring him would need to be able to afford his massive future salary. Last season, Jefferson put up 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns over 10 games. He was limited due to injuries but put up 128 catches on 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns during 17 games played in 2022.
Lamb was one of the best in 2023 himself, posting similar numbers to Jefferson’s 2022 season. He caught 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns over 17 games. The Cowboys may want to see him replicate that type of production over a second season before engaging in a major extension. Lamb is the engine of the Dallas offense, so they would be wise to keep him around long-term.
The offseason workouts are voluntary but in contract years, nothing is ever exactly what it seems. These players will end up holding out as the season gets closer if they feel they are being disrespected by their respective teams. While the NFL isn’t as high on player empowerment as the NBA, the athletes have started to make sure they have their fair say in what happens to their deals.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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