T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson holding out: How concerning are these contract standoffs?

New York Times

16 hours ago

By Amos Morale III, Mike DeFabo, Paul Dehner Jr. and Ben Standig
Minicamps for a majority of NFL teams wrapped up this week. For a few franchises, the biggest stories to emerge from the offseason workouts centered on who wasn't participating.
Several stars, including a group of the league's top pass rushers, opted out of the mandatory minicamp as they seek lucrative contract extensions.
Advertisement
Training camp is still weeks away, leaving plenty of time for players and their teams to come together. However, some deals are closer than others, creating cause for concern that these holdouts could run through the start of camp.
Here's a look at how concerned fans should be with their team's stars sitting out:
The Steelers star is entering the final year of his contract and did not report for Day 1 of minicamp on Tuesday.
He also skipped Pittsburgh's six OTAs over the previous two weeks.
It's certainly not a good thing that a Steelers team that wants to win with defense is missing its co-captain and best all-around player. But the Steelers have been down this path before. In 2021, Watt 'held in' during training camp and didn't agree to terms until the Thursday ahead of the season opener.
Both sides have a strong desire to reach an agreement, something that GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin have reiterated on several occasions. That said, this is also a tricky negotiation.
Watt is one of the NFL's best defensive players, but he's also 30 years old. Not often does a player reset the market with his third deal. But that's exactly what Cleveland's Myles Garrett did just a few months ago when he signed a contract extension that pays him $40 million annually.
The other significant factor is guaranteed money. The Steelers don't often like to give out guarantees after the first year. Watt broke this precedent in 2021, getting his first three years guaranteed, and may want extra injury insurance at this stage of his career. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer
The Steelers have a history of dragging out contract talks and waiting until the 11th hour to reach an agreement. Just last season, defensive co-captain Cameron Heyward and tight end Pat Freiermuth were up for extensions. While neither player held out, it took until just days before the opener for both players to sign.
Advertisement
Given the way those negotiations unfolded and Watt's history with hold ins, odds are Watt will agree to a new contract that includes several years of guaranteed money sometime after the final preseason game and before the season opener. The question is, how many years will the Steelers guarantee, and does Watt become the NFL's new highest-paid defensive player, surpassing Garrett? — DeFabo
Hendrickson skipped mandatory camp, and his absence continues a contentious offseason that saw him receive permission to seek a trade. He's in the final year of a contract extension he signed in 2023 and has one year and $16 million remaining with a cap hit of $18.3 million.
His 35 sacks over the past two seasons are the most in the NFL.
None of this is good, of course. The Bengals' pass rush might be the top concern on the roster, and Hendrickson would go a long way to help solve it. The remaining options of Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy and currently unsigned first-round pick Shemar Stewart, among others, aren't going to scare offensive coordinators.
The Bengals are a far better team with Hendrickson than without him, and a trade continues to be highly unlikely. This has been and will be a distraction, and Hendrickson has made that clear. The Bengals don't appear willing to back down any time soon. — Paul Dehner Jr., Bengals beat writer
We've seen this show before. Each of the last two offseasons, actually. Two years ago, Joe Burrow signed his extension right before kickoff of the Thursday night opening game. Last year, Ja'Marr Chase held in at training camp, with it unclear if he would play the opener against New England. Nothing about the current state of the Hendrickson situation feels close to resolution. Look for plenty of talk in August about Hendrickson's willingness to sit out real games. — Dehner
McLaurin, a 2024 second-team All-Pro, skipped minicamp after attending earlier phases of the Commanders' offseason program.
There's no reason for panic unless the sides remain far apart when training camp begins. — Ben Standig, Commanders beat writer
One likely sticking point — that McLaurin turns 30 in September — won't change. The same applies to his importance for the team on and off the field. McLaurin's 2022 contract talks ended ahead of training camp. Best guess is, the same happens this time if the two sides can bridge the current divide. — Standig
Advertisement
The 21-year-old has yet to participate in a practice due to an ongoing contract dispute. Stewart gave a candid response after Bengals minicamp practice on Tuesday about why he remains unsigned.
'I'm 100 percent right,' Stewart said. 'I'm not asking for nothing y'all have never done before. But in y'all case, y'all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games.'
Parsons attended minicamp after skipping the three weeks of organized team activities, but did not take part in drills, citing back tightness.
He told reporters he would attend training camp despite seeking a new deal, but when asked if he would practice without one, he said, 'We'll see.'
Gardner, who is eligible for an extension, attended the Jets' mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.
'I just wanted to show my teammates, my coaches how much I want to win,' he said. 'I want to be part of change in the organization.'
Cook participated in the Bills' mandatory minicamp and said he'll also report when training camp opens next month, despite wanting a new contract. However, he didn't commit to participating in practice without one.
Miller was present and participated in minicamp. He told reporters he wants to be a 'Raider for life.'
'I love it here,' he said. 'I don't want to go anywhere else. I only know one way to do it, and that's showing up and getting better each day.'
Slater and the Chargers remain in contract extension negotiations, but he showed up for minicamp after skipping OTAs. Slater said he has 'full confidence' that a deal will get done before the start of the regular season.
(Top photo of Trey Hendrickson: Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)