Matt Johnson
The National Football League has implemented a few rules in recent years to try and prevent the frequency of players holding out during training camp. It’s worked, in a sense, but players and agents have found a way around it. The new method of exercising some form of leverage for players during NFL training camp is with hold-ins, showing up to the facility on the report date but not taking the practice field. Expect to see more of it this summer.
Let’s dive into our list of NFL stars who could be “holdouts” during training camp.
Josh Sweat, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat could have a unique situation during NFL training camp. Unlike his teammate, Jacoby Brissett, and other NFL stars, this isn’t about money. After all, the Pro Bowl pass rusher just signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract with Arizona in March 2025. Instead, Sweat doesn’t like the situation he now finds himself in. The Cardinals are in a multi-year rebuild and the coach he liked playing for, Jonathan Gannon, is now with the Green Bay Packers. Considering that Sweat reported to Cardinals’ minicamp earlier this summer but didn’t practice, we anticipate he’ll take the same approach when camp rolls around in late July.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
The good news for the Seattle Seahawks is that they already got the Jaxon Smith-Njigba contract extension done. Unfortunately, things aren’t going nearly as well with standout corner Devon Witherspoon. ESPN‘s Brady Henderson reported in late June that negotiations between Witherspoon’s agent and the Seahawks’ front office “haven’t gone smoothly” and there are no signs pen will hit paper anytime soon. The reigning Super Bowl champions will have the All-Pro talent on the field this fall, but no one should be surprised this summer if Witherspoon will hold-in during training camp.
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints certainly want to get a Chris Olave contract extension done. However, it feels like long-term health complicates this situation. Olave, who has suffered at least four documented concussions during his career, admitted that he considered retirement in 2024 due to the frequent head injuries. Fast forward to 2026, the Saints’ top receiver was recently sidelined by a blood clot issue. He did get off blood thinners at the end of June, but those are two career-jeopardizing medical issues already in his young NFL career. He’s in the final year of his contract, playing on the fifth-year option with New Orleans, and contract talks could get complicated. A hold-in should be on the table, especially given what he’s already experienced health-wise.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots
Christian Gonzalez was easily one of the best players on the field in the Super Bowl. While the New England Patriots didn’t get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, they witnessed the emergence of a perennial All-Pro talent who could one day win Defensive Player of the Year. Now comes the hard part. Gonzalez, who is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, is eligible for an extension and should want to be the highest-paid player at the position. What adds another layer to this is the fact that his agent might be waiting to see what Devon Witherspoon gets, while the Patriots’ front office pushes to get a deal done first. It’s very possible the two sides work things out, but we’re keeping an eye on Gonzalez for an early training camp hold-in that may end in the first week or two of August.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
This feels like a situation where Bijan Robinson has the Atlanta Falcons between a rock and a hard place, even without a hold-in during NFL training camp. Atlanta already has one of the worst rosters in the NFL and there are major questions at quarterback both for 2026 and long-term. This franchise desperately needs to have Robinson in the fold for years to come and his agent, Nicole Lynn, knows that. There’s not a single reason for Robinson to risk being out on that practice field until the organization makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Frankly, given that he’s the centerpiece of the Falcons’ offense, Atlanta’s coaching staff will probably be fine with him watching practice from the sideline early this summer because it will keep him healthy and fresh.
