Camila Sosa
It is quite natural for athletes to demand a higher salary after having done well during a year, and it is even more normal if this has been the case for several seasons. Of course, this is also the case of the NFL, where it has been reported that three different players who play the wide receiver position will not be attending on-field practices with their respective teams this offseason.
The players in question are A.J. Brown of the Tennessee Titans, Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers, and Terry McLaurin of the Washington Commanders. All three players who play the wide receiver position showed their refusal to participate in voluntary on-field practices this offseason as they look to secure better contracts heading into the upcoming NFL season. However, McLaurin will report to the Commanders’ training camp but will only perform activities off the gridiron.
There are several commonalities among the three players beyond the standouts at their wide receiver positions and their desires to extend their contracts, and that is that all three made their NFL debuts in 2019 after being selected in that same year’s draft, and all have had remarkable campaigns since then.
A.J. Brown was third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in his debut campaign with the Titans in 2019 and 2020 saw him selected to the Pro Bowl. Deebo Samuel helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in 2019 and, in 2021, he was called to the Pro Bowl after leading the league in average yards per reception with 18.2, and while Terry McLaurin has had a more modest pace than his teammates, he exceeded 1,000 yards traveled in both 2020 and 2021.
With all of these accomplishments, it is not surprising that all three are looking for substantial upgrades going forward, especially in a market where their position players are being highly prized, and both Samuel and Brown are poised to be the next stalwarts at the wide receiver position in the NFL.
Wide Receiver, a Valuable Piece in this NFL Market
This offseason has seen several top players at the wide receiver position move from team to team. Such has been the case with Davante Adams, who left the Packers for Las Vegas with the Raiders, and Tyreek Hill, who left his position with the always-favored Chiefs to possibly become the difference-maker on a team with high aspirations like the Dolphins.
Both players signed very lucrative contracts with their respective teams and set the bar high at the wide receiver position, and it’s no surprise at all that these young players are taking a cue from them. In addition, they are playing with the fact that they know that any other team would be interested in their services due to the vacancies that exist at the position in other franchises, which could play a determining role in the negotiations.
Brown and Samuel have already been the subject of transfer rumors in the past, and we will have to see what the future holds for these three players.
