NFL training camp season is officially upon us, which means holdout/hold-in season is too as players seek new contracts.
The Cincinnati Bengals have settled one contract beef with a big-name pass rusher, reportedly agreeing to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million with rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart. As for the other, Trey Hendrickson remains unsigned but is reportedly planning to report to camp on Wednesday despite the absence of a new deal. Hendrickson won’t be hit with any more $50,000 daily fines if he does so, but per ESPN, he and the Bengals still aren’t any closer to a contract resolution.
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And oh yeah, there’s the Dallas Cowboys and whatever they’re doing with Micah Parsons. That high-profile standoff is still roiling as ESPN reported Tuesday that negotiations have stalled between the two parties, and they’re “further away from a deal” now than they were in the spring.
What other big names either haven’t reported or aren’t taking full part in practice while seeking a new contract? Are their situations roiling or boiling? Here’s the latest, where we rank each situation by the attention and rancor from both sides.
Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons
“The two sides have gone backwards, not forwards. I don’t think they’re speaking very much these days, if at all,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Tuesday. “This negotiation, when it was a negotiation, has gone sideways. It’s not a negotiation right now. There’s really no conversation about getting a deal done.” This is all after Jerry Jones delivered a wild season-opening media conference last Monday that started some sniping between team (“Parsons has to want to be paid”) and star player (“I’m not here” for Jerry Jones). The Cowboys usually run big contract extensions pretty late, but the level of acrimony here only seems to be growing.
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Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson planning to report Wednesday by no means the situation has simmered much. If anything, it seems like the prudent play considering he’s being fined $50,000 a day for each practice he misses. It doesn’t change the fact that Hendrickson went gloriously passive-aggressive and posted about being in Florida as camp opened last week, nor that he called a recent Bengals offer “atrociously, atrociously low.” This is still a big one to monitor.
Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin
McLaurin ended his holdout by reporting to the Commanders on Sunday morning, but is not expected to practice until he has a new contract. The two sides have not made progress on a new deal, ESPN reported. McLaurin, for his part, has kept a frustrated but diplomatic tone.
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Buffalo Bills RB James Cook
Cook has been practicing, but he continues to talk openly about his desire for a new contract. “I deserve what I want,” he said last week. What does Cook want? $15 million a year, per his social media, which would tie him for third highest-paid running back. It remains to be seen if the Bills agree.
Green Bay Packers OL Elgton Jenkins
Jenkins said he missed OTAs for a “family matter” and not his contract situation. He was activated off the NFI list last week and practiced Monday, including playing center and snapping to Jordan Love. Green Bay just paid offensive lineman Zach Tom record-setting signing bonus money as part of his new contract. Will Jenkins get one too? And how will his move from guard to center affect that deal?
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San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings has been officially practicing with the 49ers, which indicates he’s not planning to hold in, though he did leave Sunday’s practice with a calf injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan disputed the report that Jennings had asked for a trade if he didn’t get a contract extension. This appears to be settled for the time being as Jennings seeks an extension.
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