April 25, 2009. The day for every college football player’s dream to be in the NFL. Thirty-two teams draft for seven rounds to pick players for needs or for best player available. The first round is the most anticipating round in every draft for sports. Fans watch for their team to pick an all around talent or someone who will benefit the team. In the 10th pick of the 2009 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech. His stock in the draft dropped down due to a stress fracture in his left foot that was discovered at the NFL combine.
He played for Texas Tech until his Sophomore year and had career statistics of 231 receptions, 3,127 yards, and 41 touchdowns. The San Francisco 49ers took a chance on him and any team in the NFL would dream to have a player who is 6-1, 214 lbs and is tough to play in any injury he has. But when it comes to the NFL top 32 draft picks, many of the players holdout and cut through training camp to earn top money in the NFL.
There are some rookies who benefited for the team who held out and earn some additional money, and some who just did not cut it. Two of the big names who helped their team from the long holdout were Emmitt Smith and Cornelius Bennett.
Emmitt Smith, the Dallas Cowboys running back and NFL all-time rushing leader, had a holdout of 48 days. He missed all of training camp and preseason in 1989 and signed five days just before the regular season started. But that did not stop Emmitt Smith as he was AP offensive rookie of the year in 1990 from the University of Florida.
Cornelius Bennett was the second overall pick in the 1987 draft by the Indianapolis Colts. A 6-3, 240 lb linebacker from the University of Alabama, had a holdout of 102 days. He held out through the start of the season and on halloween, was traded to the Buffalo Bills in a big three team trade featuring Eric Dickerson. He starred in four super bowls and played five pro bowls in his career. Ironically, he finished his career at the place he refused to sign with.
Two of the big headed names that holdout of their contracts were Jamarcus Russell and Kelly Stouffer.
Jamarcus Russell, Quarterback of the Oakland Raiders, was the #1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft out of LSU. He had a holdout of 47 days and is considered arguably one of the the worst quarterback in the league and one of the biggest #1 overall pick bust since QB Tim Couch was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1999.
Kelly Stouffer was the 6th pick in the 1987 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He graduated from Colorado State and was the last rookie to holdout for an entire season. Before the 1988 season, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks and went 5-11 as a starter and threw just under 3,000 yards in his four years in the league.
As i was saying, many of the top 32 draftees holdout as it happened in the 2009 NFL draft. Michael Crabtree and Andre Smith, offensive tackle of the Cincinnati Bengals, were among the longest holdouts in the 2009 draft. Andre Smith ended his holdout on August 30, earning $26 million over 4 years. This made Michael Crabtree the only draft pick yet to be signed by the San Francisco 49ers with a month into the preseason had already been done.
On January 20, 2009, Rex Ryan had accept the offer to be the New York Jets head coach. He received a 4- year contract worth $11.5 million by the Jets. He believed it was a great opportunity and was a great franchise. Rex Ryan though thought needed a Quarterback and Wide Receiver for the team. He accomplished that need by trading up in the draft by trading picks and players to the Cleveland Browns, who is coached by ex- jets coach Eric Mangini, and grabbed QB Mark Sanchez out of USC. Rex Ryan has full confidence in Mark Sanchez to lead his team but still needed that 1-2 threat in the receiving corps with WR Jerricho Cotchery.
On September 21, Rex Ryan was accused for tampering charges on Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree. A furious Rex Ryan quoted on the allegation “I think it’s ridiculous really. I wish we were playing them”. Speculation were around Rex Ryan and Michael Crabtree but no one talked about the New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum claims he has been chasing for a big name wide receiver since 2006, where he was accused by the New England Patriots of tampering on Wide Receiver Deion Branch. With these allegations blown over, no one knows who is the bad guy and if they are true.
After a 72-day holdout ended, Michael Crabtree signed with the San Francisco 49ers on October 8 earning $34 million on a six year deal. Approximately 1 hour later, Cleveland Browns disgruntled Wide Receiver Braylon Edwards was traded to the New York Jets. Conspiracy much?
You know many people don’t believe in conspiracies. They believe it’s just happens naturally and not much thought behind it. You can think that Michael Crabtree signing and the New York Jets getting Braylon Edwards on the same day is just a coincidence of happening. Or you may think Rex Ryan was trying to get Michael Crabtree on the New York Jets but had a solution to his problem if it did not work, resulting in acquiring Braylon Edwards. Your opinion is your opinion and i cannot change that, but if your actually look into things and not just think ” the media said it’s false” or “it’s just a coincidence”, you will realize that there is more going on here than meets the eye.
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