The NFL season is already under full swing with all 32 teams undergoing their annual Organized Team Activities; and again, we are seeing contract advisors suggesting to their clients that the best plan of action is to hold their clients out to try and leverage a new contract. News flash advisors; holding the client out of these activities can be more harmful over the long haul than ever imagined.
In any business or contract situation, any deals that are made are all about leverage. Currently, we are seeing several NFL stars skipping their Organized Team Activities, or OTA’s, and are trying to leverage their current status to obtain a new deal that will pay more guaranteed money over the long haul. Now we all know that the NFL has been deemed the dubious title of the “Not For Long League”; but holding out the athlete just may not be the best course of action to obtain a new deal.
Here is a case in point. Alex Boone is a supremely talented guard for the San Francisco 49ers. Boone came into the NFL with some baggage, but has proven to be a great commodity for the 49ers over the past few years. Boone and his representation want to get a new deal in place, which is understandable. But he and his camp has decided to skip OTA’s and possibly the upcoming mandatory minicamp for all members of the team.
His decision is where the “unwise” term comes into play.
Boone signed a decent extension in 2011 that gave him $6.5 million over 4 years. Not the greatest, but remember, he was an undrafted free agent with limited playing time under his belt. Now he wants a deal commensurate of his talent; however his representation needs to realize that Boone is not a high priority at this time due to the fact that the 49ers already have him under contract, they just drafted a few talented guards and have a few others ready to step in immediately and fill the gap.
If Boone decides to skip camp he could be fined up to $70,000, and by all means could lose valuable time with his team and could be two or three steps behind other players hungry to be a starter on the team. Not smart for the Boone advisory camp.
Organized team activities and minicamps are established for a few specific purposes; to build camaraderie within the team, and get everyone back onto the mindset of playing football again after the five-month break. During these team activities, players are able to work on the new playbook and get back in step with each other to prepare for the upcoming season. This is invaluable time that is missed when these players decide to skip the OTA sessions.
We all understand that the NFL is a league built upon the present. Most players only last between three and five years in the league and then they are a passage in the history books. As a contract advisor, you have to do what is best for your client for the long haul and to think about the end game.
The contract advisor needs to be able to see all sides of the negotiation. They need to do what is best for their client and what can be accomplished to make all sides satisfied. Remember, any negotiation is all about leverage. If you do not have the leverage in the negotiation, the advisors need to be smarter and do what is the best situation at that time for the client.
Photo: Kim Klement, USA Today