Albert Haynesworth Won't Be a 'Skin Much Longer

The NFL is the one league of the "Big Three" (MLB, NBA, NFL) where a full contract is never evident of the actual amount of money that a player will receive. 

For example, Albert Haynesworth has a deal worth $100 million, with $41 million guaranteed. What Haynesworth can really expect is $50-60 million, with the team releasing him or trading him before he is due the $29 million bonus in his fifth year.

There are situations in which this treatment is fair and situations in which it is not fair, but it's the way of the NFL.

Haynesworth agreed to stay on the team in February, when he was told he could be released if he wanted to sign with another team. If he was on the roster when it hit April 1st, the Redskins had to pay him $21 million. Haynesworth stayed with the team and accepted the check.

Now, he has decided to sit out of mandatory minicamp, demanding a trade. Why?

What I've heard is that Haynesworth doesn't want to play nose tackle in their new 3-4 defense.  I believe he thinks that his production will suffer, and he is not willing to make this sacrifice for the betterment of the team.

Besides the fact that this type of behavior disgusts me, I can't recall a player who has acted as selfishly about playing a position for which he is being greatly overpaid.

Still, there are positives and negatives to this situation.

If this were the NBA, Haynesworth would eventually receive the $100 million if he were to stay with the Redskins or be traded. But in the NFL he has probably made all of the money that he could possibly receive the last year that he has been with the team.

Also, the Redskins are seeking ways to have him pay back the signing bonus that he received on April 1st.

The downside to this is that Haynesworth is a great player, but he hasn't done much for the Redskins—certainly not enough to justify giving him a $100 million contract. 

The Redskins will lose a high profile signing if they get rid of Haynesworth, but this amount of selfishness should not be tolerated in their locker room. They'll be better off without him.