How Mandatory is Mini Camp?

The offseason for any NFL team begins right after they are eliminated from playoff contention. For most teams in the league, this occurs after week 17 since they have not clinched a playoff birth. Most players begin to train on their own as the teams do not require any attendance until June. Everyone wants to be better than they were the year before and the players who outperformed expectations expect to be compensated.

The NFL is highly scrutinized for not giving contracts with guaranteed money. In a high contact sport with higher risk of injury, this is huge liability for the players. On average, at least 10 players on a given team will be placed on injured reserve throughout the year. Players can request injury guarantees in their contract if they are in high demand.  In order to maximize earning potential, players will demand contracts with high signing bonuses. This money cannot be contested and is guaranteed to be received upon signing the contract.

The importance of contracts plays a large role in the offseason. Free agents are trying to get signed to new deals and current players are always looking to renegotiate their current contract. The big time players know how valuable they are to an organization and will always seek to raise their salary based on the new contracts being signed by similarly performing athletes at their position. But what happens if the team does not want to pay?

Players are not required to show up to summer sessions until mandatory minicamp. It is interesting that these players whose contract demands are not met decide to skip minicamp. This puts the team in an awkward position. The player may face fines for not showing up which is ironic considering the player wants more money from the team rather than to lose money by failing to show up. Players will continue to hold out for as long as they want and in most situations will eventually get what they want and even get the fines waived.

Minicamp is essential for the coming season. New coaches and players are given a short time to get to know each other as well as prepare for the season and every moment is crucial. As much as players want to get paid they want to win. By skipping mini camp they are hampering their teams ability to improve and the act itself is seen as very selfish.

Some of the top players around the league are upset with their current contract and are exercising the same strategy. Skip mandatory minicamp. These players include pro bowlers: Julio Jones, Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, and Earl Thomas. None of these players have been fined as of yet and due to their importance to the teams that they play on, they are not expecting any fines. These organizations realize that the faster they get things settled, the better their team will be. Teams are aggressively trying to resolve these contract negotiations however the true power lies with the players. It seems that for most players minicamp is mandatory but for the great players it seems that attendance is simply voluntary.