As mandatory minicamps continue to play out in NFL cities throughout the land, an interesting storyline has emerged via questions posed to members of the Chiefs on Tuesday.
For some reason, it was regarded by some in the assembled media as noteworthy that unsigned first-round defensive tackle Dontari Poe was taking part in the minicamp.
Asked one writer of coach Romeo Crennel: “Dontari Poe is out there when he doesn’t have to be, does that say something about that young guy?”
“It says he wants to make the team,” Crennel said.
Actually, what it says is that Poe is not an idiot. With a letter of protection in hand, he has no reason to hold out of any offseason drill, voluntary or mandatory. But for Shawne Merriman in 2005, who refused to participate in offseason workouts absent his rookie contract, draft picks don’t boycott offseason workouts on the basis of not having signed their name on the dotted line.
It continued when Poe was questioned. “Was there any doubt that you were going to come to minicamp without a deal?” one reporter asked.
“No, no doubt,” Poe said. “I’m here to play football, so I’m doing that side of it. I leave that up to pretty much the other people to do that, so I’m just doing what I’m here to do.”
The other people already have done their part, negotiating the letter of protection, which will give him his rookie deal even if he suffers a season-ending injury. Though at some point in the future rookies may hold out of offseason drills until they get the security that comes with being under a four-year contract (especially as more rookies sign contracts before engaging in offseason drills), it’s a no-brainer that Poe and all other unsigned draft picks in every NFL city will participate, especially in mandatory minicamps.
But those realities were lost on the folks who thought that a non-holdout was significant.
“There was no thought of it at all?” Poe was asked about the possibility of not participating in the mandatory camp. “You’re here to play football?
“Yeah, I’m here,” Poe said.
Yeah, he’s there. And so is every other rookie in every other city that has signed a letter of protection pending the signing of a contract.
We realize that Poe is fighting the perception that he takes plays off and that he’s only a workout warrior and that he doesn’t truly love football. But the way to reverse the perception is for him to not take plays off and demonstrate uncanny skills while in uniform and show that he truly loves the game, every chance he gets.
Softballs from the media aimed at making Poe’s presence at minicamp look like it’s anything other than ordinary and routine will serve only to raise suspicions that someone is propping Poe up artificially.