Steven Jackson is currently in the middle of a hold out with the Rams. You’d think that a top tier running back holding out from training camp going on 3+ weeks would make more headlines. I guess we can thank Favre for that.
Jackson is being fined just over $15,000 for every day of camp he misses. Jackson is due to recieve $1.7 million in this the final year of his contract. So, is is already around the $300,000 range in fines with no stop in sight.
So it this financially the correct move for Jackson?
Word is that St. Louis has offered him $50 million with about a third of that guaranteed. If Jackson really does hold out for all or half of this season then he is losing more than just that $1.7 million. When you figure in what he could be making if he did sign the newly proposed Rams offer then you get estimate somewhere in the $8 million spectrum. This is a nice spectrum but Jackson believes the risk is not worth the reward.
I think, based solely on finances, Jackson is correct.
This all starts when Jackson and his people look the $1.7 million he is suppose to make this year. Not a lot for a top of the line RB in the NFL. Now, what are the chances of injury in the NFL? Pretty good. What are the chances of RB injuries? Evan better.
Now the thought comes across that Jackson can eat this $1.7 million and live to play sign a contract another day. Even when you think about the grand total of net losses that Jackson is seemingly throwing away; $6, $8, $12 million… he will get more guaranteed from either the Rams very shortly or another team in the next year.
It sucks for Rams fans. Every fan has gone through it. Unfortunately, this is a man who has as strong a case as any.
