NFL Diva Wideouts No Longer Worth the Trouble

The trade of Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets for the bargain-basement price of a fifth-round draft pick may just serve to punctuate an idea permeating across the NFL.

Big-time wide receivers may no longer be worth the upset they can cause, especially in an NFL where passing offenses spread the football across deep receiving corps that often include tight ends and running backs drawing as many catches as a starting wideout.

Holmes follows former Cardinal Anquan Boldin, who was acquired (along with a fifth-round selection) by the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for third- and fourth-round picks.

In years past it would not have been a surprise for either player to draw consideration for a first-round selection in trade, but instead more than 150 catches for more than 2,000 yards of offense changed hands for picks in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds.

That still outpaces Brandon Marshall. His 101 catches in 15 games (while playing in a far less dynamic incarnation of the Broncos) have yet to draw a trade partner.

That an elite, 26-year-old playmaker may be passed over in favor of drafting an unproven rookie shows that off-field antics may finally be catching up to a growing cadre of trouble-making wideouts.

Despite dividing locker rooms on a consistent basis, Terrell Owens has never found it difficult to lock in on the next team to be made his victim. For all the issues in Dallas, Owens quickly latched on with the Buffalo Bills last offseason as a desperation move by a team trying to find something for fans to rally around.

With only one season, he lacked ample time to devolve within the Bills locker room, but even they are not interested this offseason.

To date, the only party to express significant interest in the multiple Pro Bowler is not even a general manager. 

Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Johnson has expressed a desire to see the former 49er, Eagle, Cowboy, and now Bill don black and orange next season.  Thus far, team brass has not appeared to echo the sentiment.

Last draft, fear of his diva-esque ways cost Michael Crabtree to drop down to the 10th overall selection. He then put the diva label on full display by beginning a lengthy holdout for want of a contract deserving of his ability rather than his status.

The bargain trades and difficulties in finding a suitor by experienced wide receivers may just lead to the next casualty in this year’s draft.

Oklahoma State standout Dez Bryant entered the offseason in a similar position to Crabtree last year as the unquestioned No. 1 wide receiving prospect. He was thought to have the potential to crack the top 10 before a string of concerns left his status in doubt.

The number of teams still in dire need of a wide receiver may just keep his chances of a good draft position afloat, but if he could just as easily slip to the later reaches of the first round as teams no longer wish to deal with the potential headache.

Teams like Indianapolis, San Diego, and New Orleans have all put together highly successful passing attacks without a single top-25 drafted wideout between them. When Anthony Gonzalez missed most of 2009 to injury, he was quite ably replaced by mid-round selections Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.

The emergence of Steve Breaston and Early Doucet helped make hard-working but dissident Anquan Boldin disposable, and Miles Austin stepped into Terrell Owens' place as an undrafted sensation.

These models for success will only continue to expand the notion that a game-changing wide receiver may not be worth the headache they can cause.

Passing games are turning to depth over singularly elite players, and draft stocks are growing much deeper as college spread offenses continue to churn out deep receiving pools from which to draft.

All of this points to a new trend, where the "diva" wide receiver may just find himself hitting the unemployment line should he not learn to change his ways.