Football is here! NFL training camps have started all across the country, creating storylines and new exciting things for fans to follow. But this weeks Four Verts column starts with a baffling contract situation that has been talked about ad nauseam up to this point.
The Cowboys are constantly mainstays in the NFL news cycle for a variety of reasons, but this time it’s for a reason that is driving their fan base absolutely mad. They have three crucial players up for contract extensions right now: Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb. Three players that are integral to the success of the Cowboys and their future endeavors. Right now, they have gone 0-for-3, with not a single one of these contract situations resolved. Prescott is probably the most important contract they have to get done based on the nature of his position, but Lamb is actually the one thats causing the most strife right now.
According to multiple outlets, Lamb wont be participating in Dallas training camp without a new deal. Since Lamb is on a rookie deal, hes not yet subjected to the daily $50,000 fines that other veterans who hold out are in danger of receiving. There really isnt any incentive for Lamb to show up without a contract offer in hand from the Cowboys that has a chance to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. His play last year deserved that and the Cowboys simply cant have a functional offense without him in the lineup. Hes a total and complete necessity.
Its pretty baffling that the Cowboys seem content with the crux of their roster playing on expiring or near-expiring deals. Assuming Prescott, Lamb and Parsons play up to the talent levels that theyve shown up to this point, those deals are only going to get more expensive over the next eight months. It simply doesnt make sense to give the player all the leverage in this situation and make the team more desperate in their function.
The only reason this could make sense is if the Cowboys are truly ready to hit the reset button after the upcoming season. That would be bold. This is a franchise quarterback, wide receiver and pass rusher three things that every team would love to have. Yet the Cowboys are treating this situation a bit flippantly. Proactiveness will save them a ton of grief and money if they can just get out of their own way and do something. Playing the season, or really even entering training camp, with these issues unresolved doesnt make a whole lot of sense.
But it does get the people going. Seriously, just search @DallasCowboys on Twitter. Its a gold mine.
Speaking of the collective bargaining agreement, one way that players have been getting around their contract disputes without racking up $50,000 a day in fines is by holding in to camp. Players basically just show up and do nothing while keeping hard-earned money in their pocket. For now, this is a way to have a similar effect to a holdout without actually losing money we shall see what happens to this method when the NFL and the NFLPA eventually negotiate a new CBA.
This year, there are a handful of high-profile players who at the very least wont be participating in practice during the early portion of training camp. Here are the names to keep an eye on over the next month or so.
Saints RB Alvin Kamara (holding in)
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (holding out)
Packers QB Jordan Love (holding in)
Jets EDGE Haason Reddick (holding out)
49ers OT Trent Williams (holding out)
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (holding in)
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk (holding in)
49ers general manager John Lynch definitely has his work cut out for him over the next few weeks trying to get two integral pieces to the 49ers success back under contracts that will keep them happy and ready to contribute for the upcoming season. Thats no small feat with the contract of Brock Purdy coming up, but its certainly doable at least for this year. Whats interesting is Williams is choosing to lose $50,000 per day to make this desire known. Braver man than most.
Jets defensive end Haason Reddick is also having a costly hold out for a new deal, which is a bit interesting considering that the Jets have had Reddick on the roster since early April, but he still doesnt have the new deal that he wants. Getting him on the roster and making him happy would mean everything for the team, especially considering that theyre a smidge thin on the defensive line without him. Its a bit confusing as to how they got to this juncture in the first place without a happy Reddick putting pen to paper.
Love and Tagovailoa will get paid, with Loves deal likely coming first and setting a new benchmark for quarterback pay in the league. By all accounts, Tagovailoa wont be getting a market-rate extension as the Dolphins look to compensate him with something a bit more team-friendly than what hes been asking for.
This is all money talk, everyones favorite thing but these guys are worth keeping an eye on as the ramp-up to the regular season starts.
During Sean Paytons reign as the head coach in New Orleans, the Saints always had raucous, nasty offensive lines that could pummel just about any opposing defense into submission. It helped keep Drew Brees career thriving as he aged and really helped the Saints transition into the post-Brees era by allowing them to pound the rock as they figured out what combination of Taysom Hill and the gang worked best.
However, times seem to be changing and the Saints’ offensive line is looking a little spooky. They dont have a whole lot of promise or hype behind this unit as they havent quite been able to match the talent acquisition of the players they had in the past. Stalwart right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is out for the season with a likely career-ending injury. Trevor Penning has been a complete bust as a former first-round tackle up to this point. First-round pick Taliese Fuaga, a right tackle that many had pegged as a potential guard in the NFL, will slide over to left tackle for the Saints during his rookie year.
This spells disaster. Especially for a team that has a non-mobile quarterback that really struggles when the heat turns up and the hitting starts. Derek Carr has always needed a strong offensive line in front of him for him to be the best version of himself and this just doesnt appear to be that. Which begs the question what really is the ceiling on this Saints team? Star running back Alvin Kamara is holding in as he tries to get a new contract or an adjustment to his current one. They have a star wide receiver in Chris Olave, but this situation isnt necessarily set up for them to get the most out of Olaves explosive downfield ability. If they cant block the way they want to, its hard to see how the Saints will create enough opportunities for their playmakers.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has his work cut out for him as he brings over everyones favorite tree of offensive play-calling: the Shanahan system. That scheme might be the cover that this personnel needs to be a productive unit, but right now its looking a little shaky.
To be fair to the Saints, they have a stud center in Erik McCoy and guard Cesar Ruiz still has some untapped potential. The rest of the group is still a work in progress and it could lead to the year where the Saints finally bottom out which is probably the best thing for this franchise at this point.
Enough about the Saints. The rest of the NFC South appears to have taken some steps forward. While the Saints still deal with their mountain of cap hell that has prohibited them from really improving the team, the other teams have made, at least, marginal improvements to their roster that should create watchable football for fans. That wasnt always the case last year! I would know! I watched every single Atlanta Falcons game last year! Im fine, I really am!
The Falcons at least have some reason to hope for a successful, or more fun, 2024 season. Kirk Cousins is a big upgrade over what they had at quarterback last season, and head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson might be the fresh faces that this organization needed in order to get the most out of the talented playmakers they have assembled over the past few years. Cousins health is still a question mark, but even then, they should be able to make great improvements on offense with Cousins not quite at full strength.
Tampa Bay hasnt changed all too much, but they should have a strong offensive line. Rookie center Graham Barton solidifying an offensive line that already features All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs will be a big plus for what the Buccaneers hope to accomplish getting back to the playoffs and potentially making a run to the NFC title game. They were somewhat close to that point last year, but continuity at quarterback with Baker Mayfield returning paired with offensive line improvements and a solid defense should have them in familiar territory with about nine or so wins.
Carolina is the enigma here. They started so far behind the 8-ball that it’s hard to see them making the playoffs, or even really close, but its fair to acknowledge the improvements they made. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis are big upgrades at offensive guard, while Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette will help stabilize one of the worst receiver rooms from a year ago. The defense will likely be in rough shape again, but the offensive improvements matter. Five wins should be within the range of what this team is capable of.
All of this is a huge improvement over what this division was doing last year. It wasnt football but now they have a chance to join the rest of the NFL as a real deal division with a couple teams potentially capable of making the playoffs.