2018 NFL Holdouts: Who Will Crack and Who Could Persist?

OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 08: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders lines up to rush the quarterback during their NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 8, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 08: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders lines up to rush the quarterback during their NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 8, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 03: Defensive end Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 32-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 03: Defensive end Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 32-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

The 2018 NFL holdouts seem to be thicker and more numerous than in recent years. Several superstar names have elected to not attend training camp.

This has left the inevitable question on the table. Just how far will each of these men be willing to take the matter? Holdouts can range from any number of stages. Some are merely message sent by the players to the respective team, missing of a few practices to let them know he’s not content with the current situation. Then, on rare occasions, players are willing to carry it further. Sometimes into the preseason and even the regular season if necessary.

Would any of this years’ crop be willing to take it that far. Here’s a quick breakdown of each big name and the likelihood of whether they will eventually crack and return to their team or if they may persist in their efforts.

Los Angeles Rams:  Aaron Donald

One can imagine the frustration is really starting to mount for Aaron Donald. He’s one of the two or three best defensive players in all of football and the lynchpin to the entire Rams defense. Yet here he is stuck waiting while teammate after teammate gets new deals. Brandin Cooks got his payday followed by running back Todd Gurley. It’s hard to tell if the Rams front office is merely setting him aside or if Donald’s demands are making it difficult for them to reach any sort of deal.

Likely result:  Crack

Donald will come to work eventually. He’s not yet in such a secure financial position where he can turn down too many paychecks. Even if this ends up being his last year in L.A., he wants to make sure he sets a favorable impression with other teams when he approaches free agency.