Holdouts in the NFL have a way of ending up like this, don't they? Players attempt to play the leverage game with their respective teams in an effort to get a new contract, but it usually doesn't work. We've seen it recently happen with Mike Wallace and the Steelers, and now we're seeing it with Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaguars.
With two years remaining on his current contract, Jones-Drew has been holding out with the Jaguars in an effort to have it re-negotiated. He feels as if he has outplayed his current contract and looks at the recent deals given to Matt Forte and LeSean McCoy as benchmarks for his own contract.
New Jaguars owner Shad Khan has stood steadfast in his decision not to bow to his franchise player's wishes, which has both irked some and impressed others with his bold approach. He also has made it clear that he isn't in the market for trading MJD, though every player has a price in the NFL (see: Palmer, Carson). Whichever camp you're in regarding Khan's stance, he's won his battle with Jones-Drew.
After missing 38 days of practice, Jones-Drew is finally reporting to Jaguars practice. In doing so, Jones-Drew is honoring the remaining two years on his contract that has $9.4 left coming his way. His appearance also lessens the likelihood that the team will trade Jones-Drew, as his leverage is all but gone.
So, Bengals fans, the very small chance that the team had in trading for the running back just decreased.