Pats Football Now
NFL rookies holding out over a contract dispute are generally a thing of the past. With a rookie pay scale in place since 2011, there isn’t much for teams and agents to haggle over. There are certain things open for negotiations, such as how and when a signing bonus is paid out, even if the bonus amount is predetermined. The New England Patriots have not had a significant rookie holdout in 20 years.
Benjamin Watson missed the first several weeks of training camp in 2004. The first-round tight end from Georgia held out through the first preseason game. He fired his agent in the process. Watson signed his rookie deal on August 16. He landed on season-ending IR after playing just one game. Watson enjoyed a productive 16-year NFL career, though it did not begin under ideal circumstances.
Last year, the final rookie holdout was Seahawks defensive back Devon Witherspoon. He missed the first four days of training camp with Seattle before agreeing to terms. The player wanted his signing bonus up front, while the team wanted it spread out over multiple payments. It worked out in the end but caused an unnecessary and avoidable distraction.
Fortunately for the New England Patriots, there will be no such drama with their 2024 rookie class.
New England selected Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round (No. 37 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has been present for rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. But until yesterday, Polk had yet to sign. That is no longer the case.
Polk agreed to his rookie contract yesterday. The four-year deal is worth $9.694 million. This includes a $3.694 million signing bonus. He was the last New England Patriots draft pick to come to terms. Eight first-round draft picks remain unsigned, though Patriots QB Drake Maye is not one of them.
Christian Gonzalez, New England’s top selection in 2023, did not sign until July 21 last year. Eliot Wolf and his staff have the Patriots in great shape by getting everyone locked up early this year. It does not guarantee success, but it does help avoid unnecessary and avoidable distrations.
Also in today’s Patriots Daily:
Ja’Lynn Polk would love to set the NFL rookie records for a wide receiver in 2024. Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams broke the NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in 2023. Randy Moss of the Minnesota Vikings set the record for receiving touchdowns by a rookie in 1998 with 17.
The New England Patriots rookie record for receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,132) were both achieved by Terry Glenn in 1996. Tight end Rob Gronkowski recorded the most touchdown receptions for a Patriots rookie (10 in 2010). Randy Vataha (nine in 1971) holds the team’s record for rookie wide receivers.
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