NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz Around Biggest Contract Disputes

NFL rumors always surface when a player is in a contract dispute and not getting paid like other elite players at his position. However, recently it has also come up where a team will franchise tag a player for one year and the player will reject the offer because they are looking for long-term deal.

As a result, most players will hold out of offseason workouts until a deal is worked out. Nothing is more vital than settling contract disputes before upcoming events such as the 2012 NFL draft, which is less than a week away. 

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Brees has been franchised. According to ESPN NFL reporter John Clayton, Brees and the Saints are  $2 million per year apart on a new long-term deal. Brees has not participated in offseason workouts thus far.

Brees is the second-highest paid player at the quarterback position and could make $16 million by signing the franchise tender. The key for Brees is the long-term deal and the guy deserves it, as he turned this Saints franchise around into not only a consistent contender but a Super Bowl Champion.

Matt Forte Chicago Bears and Ray Rice Baltimore Ravens

Also according to Schefter, the same will go for elite running backs like Matt Forte and Ray Rice, who are not expected to report to the start of the team's voluntary workouts Monday after being tagged as their teams' franchise players, according to league sources.

According to Adam Schefter as of April 16th, 2012, Forte and the Bears have been unable to reach a long-term contract agreement, and Forte does not plan to report at this time without a new long-term deal. Brees, Forte and Rice have refused to sign their franchise tenders and play under one-year contracts.

Schefter went on to mention that Forte completed his rookie contract and would be set to make $7.742 million as the Bears' franchise player, a significant increase from his 2011 salary of $600,000. 

The problem for Forte holding out is the Bears already signed running back Michael Bush via NFL free agency as an insurance policy just in case Forte holds out and starts missing games. Forte has averaged 1,300 total yards in each of his four seasons in the NFL and deserves a long-term deal, but the Bears front office is getting tired of Forte's comments off the field.

Ray Rice, on the other hand, has averaged over 1,200 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the last three seasons and also does not want the franchise tag and will also hold out for a long-term deal.

Wes Welker 

Also, Adam Schefter reported live on ESPN in New England that wide receiver Wes Welker was also designated the one year franchise tag worth $9.5 million and will not sign the franchise tender. He was also a no show for the voluntary workout.

Since Wes Welker joined the New England Patriots in 2007, no one in the NFL has had more catches,  and Welker definitely is worth the long-term deal.

Maurice Jones-Drew

The latest contract dispute is Maurice Jones-Drew, who is only making $4.45 million in the upcoming 2012 season and is the eighth highest paid running back in the NFL. A report recently surfaced this past Tuesday, April 17 on SI.com that Maurice Jones-Drew will be skipping voluntary minicamp until he gets straight paid like his boy Chris Johnson.

New Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey commented, "It would've been nice to have Maurice Jones-Drew here...I can't ask any of them to be here. We want them to be here...just to kind of get a feel for how we are, what they can expect from us and he just was one of the no-shows."

Jones-Drew led the NFL in rushing in the 2011 season with 1,606 yards on an offense that ranked dead last in the NFL. By the way, in Jones-Drew's six-year career he has averaged 1,500 total yards each season and has 72 total touchdowns rushing and receiving. The guy also made his third consecutive Pro Bowl this past season and deserves to be paid among the top five running backs. 

Moreover, even though these elite players have missed their voluntary workouts, these workouts are not mandatory, and it is normal during contract negotiations for players to skip the voluntary workouts.

When we get in to mandatory workouts and missing preseason games, that is when the code red should be ordered. More importantly, the players finally are taking a stand in contract disputes and I agree that they should hold out for money and get that long-term deal because you don't know how much time you have left.

You want to get paid as long as you can because owners and general managers have no loyalty to a player: just ask Peyton Manning.