Holdouts

With NFL training camps underway all across the U.S., as I write this, 19 of the 32 first round draft picks from last April's college draft were still unsigned, including Percy Harvin.

The National Football Post's Jack Bechta explains why players hold out. He also writes about how head coaches sometimes lean on draft picks in situations like this. Both articles make for very interesting reading. Based on Brad Childress' brief comments on the Harvin negotiations, how likely do you think it is that Chilly has been trying to convince his little buddy Percy to sign a deal and get in camp ASAP?

I'd like Harvin to be in camp. But in general, I side with the players in these "holdouts" (remember, Harvin has no obligation to be there because he hasn't signed a contract.) Football is a brutal, physical sport and most careers are short. The NFL also makes huge money off the physical talents of these young – and in some cases, very poor – men. So I don't begrudge them or their agents in trying to get the best deal possible. Besides, Harvin has attended several OTAs and mini-camps already. I don't think missing a day or two of camp will hurt his chances of making a positive impact on the field this season. It's only in cases like Bryant McKinnie, where the player starts missing a game or several games, that the team and the player really suffer. But those instances are rare.