There’s only one flaw when it comes to the hold-in. And it’s a big one.
At some point, it’s time to end it and get to work.
That happened last year in Chicago, after former Bears linebacker Roquan Smith held in throughout training camp and the preseason. It’s happening now in Miami, with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins ending his boycott of practice.
“At this point, I’m just focused on being the best teammate I can be and being there for my guys, and getting ready to play a game again,” Wilkins told reporters on Tuesday, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com. “As far as that’s concerned, whether or not something gets done, I’m focused on the season -- we’ve got a game to play in two weeks.”
Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Wilkins’s agents were not willing to accept the guarantee structure of the proposals made by the Dolphins.
Wilkins is due to make $10.75 million in 2023 under his fifth-year option. Multiple other young defensive tackles signed contracts this season in the range of $22.5 million to $23.5 million in annual new money.
Although players who hold in avoid fines, it might take complete and total withholding of services to break an impasse. Once a player reports, however, it’s very difficult to leave.