Boycotting mandatory offseason workouts isn’t as cheap as it used to be.
Under the new labor deal, which was finalized after any mandatory minicamps would have been conducted in 2011, the maximum fines for skipping the three-day non-voluntary practice sessions have increased. Signficantly.
Under Article 42, Section 1(ix) of the CBA, a player who skips one day of a mandatory minicamp may be fined up to $10,500. If he skips a second day, another $21,000 fine may be imposed. By completing the trifecta, a maximum additional fine of $31,500 may be assessed, bringing the total possible fine to $63,000.
In contrast, former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall faced a total fine of less then $10,000 for skipping all three days of a mandatory minicamp under the last CBA.
On top of that, a player could be subject to a partial forfeiture of certain bonuses, a waiver of any remaining guarantees in his contract, and other enhanced penalties authorized by the new CBA.
That’s ultimately why guys like Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, and other unhappy minicampers who are under contract will attend their respective teams’ mandatory offseason practices, many of which will happen this week.
So Jenkins showing up doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be traded, and Jones-Drew showing up doesn’t mean he doesn’t want a new contract. It only means that they both have 63,000 reasons to be there — along with any other money they could lose by breaching their current contracts.