Memo to Roddy White: You need to be in camp, sir
Roddy White apparently wants Larry Fitzgerald-type money, but there’s a problem: Roddy White isn’t Larry Fitzgerald. Roddy White on his best day is among the NFL’s top five receivers. Larry Fitzgerald on his worst day is the best in the business.
At first the folks in Flowery Branch sort of shrugged at White’s holdout, but now they’re getting irritated. He needs to be in camp for several reasons, and here, in no particular order, they are:
• In years past, some Falcons seeking more money figured, “Arthur Blank will just disregard his lieutenants and pay me what I’m asking.” That’s not happening this time.
• Every day White is away is another day for Matt Ryan to think of Tony Gonzalez as his new default receiver, a status previously afforded White.
• Every day White is away, another of the Falcons’ higher-ups starts to think, “You know, Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas aren’t bad. We can win with them if need be.”
• If this season of promise should turn sour, the first thing folks inside the complex are going to say is, “It all started when Roddy White didn’t come to camp.”
• He’s going to sign anyway — at last report, Olympiakos doesn’t have a team that plays football, at least not American football — and all he’s doing now is fostering resentment.
It’s funny how things work. Come to camp on time and let your agents work behind the scenes on your contract while you’re working alongside your teammates and you’re a pro’s pro. Train on your own in Birmingham while everyone else is sweating it out in Hall County and you’re a prima donna.
Yes, White has to look out for himself, but the Falcons under Blank (and now Dimitroff and Smith) have no history of lowballing players. White figures to get what he’s due, which isn’t to be confused with what he might think he’s due.
Loading ...So long as he’s away from camp, nobody remembers any of the 88 passes he caught last season. They recall the one didn’t catch — in the end zone against Denver, Ryan throwing off a scramble for what could have been the game-winning touchdown. It was a tough chance, but you know what? Larry Fitzgerald makes that catch as a matter of routine. That’s why he’s the best in the business.
Roddy White is very good, but he’s not the best. He’ll get over $20 million guaranteed, which is more than Green Bay’s Greg Jennings is getting, and esteemed former colleague Steve Wyche of NFL.com believes Jennings’ contract is a point of reference for White. But he won’t get Fitzgerald money, which is $40 million over four seasons. He shouldn’t get Fitzgerald money. He’s not Fitzgerald.
He’s Roddy White, and he’s a key piece on a team with the potential to do big things. But he’s not the Falcons’ MVP. He’s not even the second-most important offensive player. He’s not a quarterback, not a running back, not a left tackle, and the only way NFL people elevate any wide receiver to essential status is if he’s Larry Fitzgerald. And Roddy White is not. He needs to get to camp.
Update: And now White really needs to get there, though his bargaining position might just have hardened. According to esteemed colleague Darryl Ledbetter, Harry Douglas suffered a leg injury in Thursday’s practice.
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318 comments Add your comment
Falcons73
August 5th, 2009
10:48 am
Absolutely right! Roddy is walking a very thin line with Dimitrof & Smith. I don’t think this move will endear him to his teammates either. At best, White is a very solid receiver but he is NOT anywhere close to Fitzgerald’s class. He is replaceable and may find himself playing for another team…very soon.
NCFalconFan
August 5th, 2009
10:54 am
Bradley I agree. I support White, he deserves the extension, but he needs to get over it and get into camp.
MiltonDawg
August 5th, 2009
11:00 am
Agreed. Roddy is been a little brat here. He’s due to make what 2.3 Mill this year? Mr. White–they’re fans here who make a lot less (I’d say $25k to $45k a year) and pay to see you play every Sunday. Is this your true colors?? Selfish, little juevnille? Report to camp (apparently you can afford to lose $15k a day) and let your agent and the front office work it out. I would put you in the Top 10–you don’t deserve the Fitz $$. Two good years in a row doesn’t mean you’ll do great this year. Freakin’ Baby!!!
Paddy
August 5th, 2009
11:00 am
Right, get into camp! This is going to be a very good Falcon team IF all the pieces are together.
Mark Bradley
August 5th, 2009
11:02 am
It’s weird: Unless you’re Fitzgerald or Randy Moss, NFL types tend to think of receivers as interchangeable.
D-Man
August 5th, 2009
11:02 am
I think White doesn’t have a very good memory….the Falcons stuck with him for a couple of years when he couldnt catch a cold. I think he owes them better then this.
Reid Adair
August 5th, 2009
11:06 am
Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith should be smart enough to have known this was coming since the end of last season and Roddy White’s selection to the Pro Bowl. They knew this was the last year of his contract, and they knew that they weren’t going to re-sign him for the salary he’s making now.
Go to camp without an extension? Very few players do that in the NFL these days. Why? One reason is that if the player gets injured in camp, the team now has an “excuse” to lower their offers. I don’t blame players a bit for wanting to see the commitment up front.
And yet, as best anyone can tell, they waited until training camp to start discussions on this.
For what it’s worth, not everyone is limited to a memory of just the drop against Denver.
I don’t blame White one bit. No one knows what offer he and his agent have proposed; no one knows if it’s a figure similar to Larry Fitzgerald’s salary or not.
Dimitroff keeps telling the media that they’re making progress and he’s confident it’s going to get done. Let’s see some results.
Wes
August 5th, 2009
11:07 am
Whats Anquan Boldin doing these days?
FALCONS SORRY
August 5th, 2009
11:11 am
RODDY WHITE! YOU DO WHAT YOU GO TO DO TO SURVIVE PLAYER! DO NOT LET ANY OF THESE SISSY REPORTER TYPES WHO NEVER EVEN STEP ON A FIELD TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR CAREER OR HOW TO LIVE YOUR LIFE! THE SAD HATERS ON THESE BLOGS MAKING MCDONALDS MONEY JUST WANT TO HATE ON SOMEONE LIKE WHO MADE SOMETHING OF YOUR SELF! YOU LIVE IN AMERICA AND YOU DONT HAVE TO ANSWER TO NOBODY! JUST LOOK AT HOW THAT LOW DOWN SNAKE IN THE GRASS AUTHUR BLANK TREATED VICK! DONT LET HIM DO YOU THAT SAME WAY BECAUSE YOU KNOW HE WILL IF YOU LET HIM! TAKE THAT SORRY LYING HATER FOR EVER NICKEL HE WORTH! EVEN THE SORRY FALCONS KNOW THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN KEEP FROM LOOKING STUPID FOR DRAFTING MATTY HOPELESS IS TO HAVE A TOP SHELF RECEIVER LIKE YOU WHO CAN BEND OVER BACKWARD TO CATCH HIS WEAK ARM THROWS! GET WHAT YOU CAN WHILE YOU CAN AND TAKE WHAT IS YOURS RODDY!
steve
August 5th, 2009
11:16 am
Harry Douglas can do what Roddy does
Alan
August 5th, 2009
11:20 am
Is it too late to get Laurent Robinson back?
Amazing
August 5th, 2009
11:20 am
Yea, I also remember the Birds working with RW when he couldn’t catch a cold, but that was with another quarterback. If I were him, I’d get in to camp before Matt makes another receiver look really good..
Just A Fan
August 5th, 2009
11:20 am
Hey falcons sorry, if I recall roddy couldn’t even catch a vick pass with the amount of touch he puts on the ball. Completely agree with the post Mark. Only bad will come of this whether to roddy or the whole team going in to the new year. It seems every time we have a chance to put back to back winning seasons together something soo stupid happens to mess it up i.e. jamal and his holdout which turned into a torn acl. This is upsetting. He is under contract and has no excuse to not be here…. Someone should send him the tape of that missed catch in the endzone from the Denver game last year. Without reps with the team in camp there will be more.
Falcondore
August 5th, 2009
11:22 am
Let’s be clear, White doesn’t “owe” the team for his first two years in the league. He’s developed into a legitimate threat with hard work. He faces the possibility of playing for one year under this contract (which is dirt cheap in comparison to comparable receivers), and another year if the CBA isn’t renewed where the Falcons can match any offer another team throws at him or take a 1st round pick as compensation. His bargaining position is minimal at best, and this is the only leverage he has.
On the flip side though, his agents could be a BIT more malleable in terms of what they’re working with. The player wants to play there, the team wants him there. In that sense, you find numbers that everyone can live with, make it work, and get the player out there as soon as possible.
I think this tells us one thing about Dimitroff though, he is not captive to any player not named Matt Ryan. The Falcons will compensate you, but they will not overpay for your services. If that means we have to ride it all the way to 2010 when we take two first round draft picks then so be it.
Amazing
August 5th, 2009
11:22 am
our pal Falcoms Sorry has capped in… It seems that RW couldn’t catch the great one’s passes. Fancy that.
JerryT
August 5th, 2009
11:23 am
He already has a contract. If he wanted a contract that was one year shorter, then he shouldn’t have signed this one. When he did, he made a commitment. He should be in camp. What’s his problem? If he doesn’t get a new offer that he likes then, when this contract ends, he will be a free agent and can try to get some other team to pay him.
Everybody calm down, especially the race hater...
August 5th, 2009
11:24 am
…Roddy will be here in due time – he is just doing what all veterans do when they have the chance, and that is miss as much of the 2 a day practices as possible.
It is not like he can play anywhere else this year – he is under contract and will be here later, if not sooner! Now, he may not have a productive a year as last year, but then, it Gonzalez works out he may not be as productive anyway! Only time will tell!
Mac
August 5th, 2009
11:25 am
And the truth of it is, Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas aren’t bad.
Ryno
August 5th, 2009
11:28 am
Mr. Bradley – what seems to be the hang up? Is it length of the contract or the base salary?
The Falcons could certainly entice him to continue to perform well by making it a incentive heavy contract. That’s what they should have done with Peerless Price.
Howard
August 5th, 2009
11:28 am
Mark, if I’m not mistaken…pro footballers don’t receive that first paycheck until the regular season starts. Roddy White is pulling the same stunt many of his ilk do: Listen to a smarmy agent and stay out of camp and two-a-days and pout over needing a new contract and huge pay raise…then just before you start losing money, show up in camp and announce your agent and the team are in negotiations. Your teammates will always forgive you because some day they will do the same thing…you’ve missed all that hot and sweaty and brutal pre-season…and you know the team will play you as soon as possible. So what’s not to like about what he’s doing??? Wanna stop this behavior? Make their paychecks start opening day of camp.
midnite
August 5th, 2009
11:32 am
You nailed MB. I don’t think Black & Co. low ball anyone either. Roddy is good but not great. He should be in camp regardless, he will get his money. I’m of the opinion that Dimitroff and Smith will not take much of this hold-out crap for very long. Roddy you are only hurting yourself. Harry Douglas looked good taking reps while I was at the a.m. practice yesterday.
PMC
August 5th, 2009
11:34 am
No, he shouldn’t be in camp because of the injury risk. It benifits both parties to do this now. Well actually over the summer but they didn’t get it done.
This camp time is not all that important for Roddy really, not like last year. Veterans know how to play he knows the offense, just be in shape when he gets here is all we need to ask.
He needs to get his own money right before coming to camp even if it costs him a fine. That’s how the NFL is structured at the moment so this is how it’s done. Hopefully they can sign him to a nice contract that isn’t an albatross that benifits both parties and they can do it TODAY!
Amazing
August 5th, 2009
11:37 am
Howard has a good point.
Dan49
August 5th, 2009
11:37 am
What about a trade? Crabtree? Boldin? If it drags out much longer TD will bring the hammer down! While Roddy is good maybe very good he isn’t great…yet! Roddy put down those matches and get into camp before you burn your bridges down!
Glenn
August 5th, 2009
11:38 am
Now Mark everyone that knows the NFL is aware contracts only go from year to year . Most extensions are backloaded to make agents seem better than they really are . Teams can & will cut a player if it feels its not getting its moneys worth . When players do the same thing , everyone screams ” but he’s under contract ! ” . Roddy White is doing nothing wrong . When the NFL becomes concerned with contracts being honored they will have the financial value of these contracts guaranteed . Hey , if the Falcons want to play hardball trade him . They will get very good compensation . The demand for good receivers is through the roof . I’m sure you know that Mark . Funny I’m also sure you know Larry Fitzgerald signed his extension to save the Cards some cap space . Probably to try & resign Anquan Boldin . Hows he doing ?
J Smurf
August 5th, 2009
11:40 am
Easy guys. First of all, Harry Douglas is not Roddy White…Not even close. That’s just ignorant. Roddy has put up 2 Pro-Bowl worthy seasons, and one of those was with Harrington/Leftwich/Redman throwing the rock. He’s physical. He’s got great size. He’s elite fast. No baggage(Other than this hold out, he’s never acted like a prima donna). Oh yea, he’s still young. ONLY downside is that he will drop the occasional pass (see every WR in the NFL except Fitzgerald). I can’t think of 5 WR’s in the league that I would take ahead of Roddy…right now. Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson,
Calvin Johnson, then who??????? Roddy White??
He needs top 5 money, and he will get top 5 money. But, I agree with you MB. He needs to get this done while in camp. This organization is trustworthy and understand his value.
THE TRUTH
August 5th, 2009
11:40 am
Buh bye Roddy!
SimpleDawg
August 5th, 2009
11:40 am
MB, You’re all over this one !
Until last year, he was more commonly known as Shoddy White…he dropped as many passes as he caught. He has dropped a bunch of very crucial passes during his time in Atlanta. The Falcons still paid Shoddy the money they promised him, even though he wasn’t fulfilling his end of the bargain.
Last year he stepped up and played well. If he were to continue to work hard and prepare well for the season, he should continue to improve….but he needs to be in camp, catching passes from his QB in order to properly prepare for the season.
He’s most assuredly not Larry Fitzgerald. If he believes he is equal to Fitzgerald, then he’s listening to the wrong people. Quite possibly people like Falcons Sorry have convinced him that “the man’s just trying to hold him down”. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Another promising athlete with an over-inflated opinion of himself making poor decisions, based on advice from idiots.
You’re not Fitzgerald. Are you Roddy or Shoddy ?
THE TRUTH
August 5th, 2009
11:45 am
To J Smurf and other like-minded… Roddy Whites’production was so high with Harrinton &Co. because we had no runnung game and Petrino has a pass-happy offense.How many attempts more did Roddy have that year?
How many games did we win that year? You see how Roddy having a good year doesn’t necessarily mean the Falcons having a good year?
tom vanderbilt
August 5th, 2009
11:46 am
Good read Mark. If any of us had a 2.5 mil contract and didnt show up we would be fired. White is good, but not great and as a longtime fan I do remember the Denver miss. He’s not Fitzgerald and needs to get into camp to work with the team. Under contract get into camp and work on an extension from there. White has shown great improvement over the last couple of years, but working on timing etc. is crutial at this time of the season.
BBrown
August 5th, 2009
11:46 am
Roddy, you are under an existing contract!!! Get in camp, show your talent like last year, and yes you will be rewarded very well financially. However, remember, you are under an existing contract. DO THE RIGHT THING AND HONOR IT!!
Hamp from Tuscaloosa
August 5th, 2009
11:48 am
I like both sides of this arguemnt. It is common for players to hold out with one year left. I don’t blame roddy but he is losing valuable reps that he will need.
The team has said that they are installing the remainder of the playbook. Think about this the falcons signed michael jenkins in the middle of the season. Why did they not do that with white. I think jenkins will have a break out year and if roddy isn’t careful he will be out shined by jenkins.
I think harry will fill that #2 spot well if this goes long term. I believe we can win with jenkins, douglas and finn especially since we now have the beast that is Gonzo. I believe that TD is driving this ship and he won’t be detered.
Roddy needs an extension just not Fizt money. Aquan boldin can be looked at a a better reciever than roddy and he doesn’t deserve Fitz money.
Roddy I believe you need a raise take the highest offer and get you butt in camp NOW111
Daniel Bell
August 5th, 2009
11:49 am
Every other player who will be on the roster is busting his ass in two-a-days training camp. White should be two. So much for him being a team player. Someone said something above that should be repeated:
“I think White doesn’t have a very good memory….the Falcons stuck with him for a couple of years when he couldnt catch a cold. I think he owes them better then this.”
Hamp from Tuscaloosa
August 5th, 2009
11:52 am
The NFL and the players union created this monster so teams and fans have to deal with it. It has become common practice.
Chris
August 5th, 2009
11:52 am
First off, If my memory serves me correctly, and it may not so correct me please if I’m wrong, but weren’t Michael Jenkins and Jonathan Babineaux given extensions somewhere around Week 2 last season? Maybe Roddy just needs to be patient and it will get worked out eventually.
Secondly, Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas absolutely cannot stand in for Roddy White or else we wouldn’t be so worried about a holdout. HD was great on special teams and showed some great speed, but the things that Roddy does on 3rd down situations alone sets him apart from the two. He has proved the last two seasons that he is a top 5-10 receiver no matter if the team is good or bad. Michael Jenkins has only started to show signs of being a good #2. His hands aren’t good enough to be a 3rd down threat like Roddy and he isn’t the deep threat that Roddy is. Jenkins and Douglas fit fine right where they are at and I don’t expect to ask much more of them than what they already do.
tw3a
August 5th, 2009
11:53 am
So Right, He must want to play somewhere else, Douglas is a very quality replacement. So everyday he holds out, the closer Douglas is getting his job
Reid Adair
August 5th, 2009
11:56 am
“THE TRUTH,” Roddy White had more catches, receiving yards and touchdowns in 2007 with the quarterback circus of Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and Chris Redman than he did in two years working with the former #7 COMBINED.
The FACT is the former #7 was a HORRIBLE passer. If he wasn’t dumping it off to the tight end, he was scrambling around and then throwing it as hard as he could. He had no “touch” whatsoever, and timing routes were lost with him.
There was no semblance of consistency at quarterback in 2006, and yet White put up those numbers. The numbers a year ago speak for themselves.
Roddy White didn’t magically become a great receiver between 2006 and 2007; he gave people a glimpse of what he could do with a quarterback that could manage an NFL passing game effectively.
For all of these people saying White isn’t great – or not even “very good,” according to some – even Mark Bradley admitted White is a top five receiver in the NFL.
Dr. Warren
August 5th, 2009
11:59 am
Roddy should have spent some extra time in mini-camp with Tony Gonzalez. Now that he finally has learned how to catch–thankfully–he could have moved to Level II and learned to behave like a pro.
Mark Bradley
August 5th, 2009
12:00 pm
It’s not the length of the contract, Ryno. It’s the money.
J Smurf
August 5th, 2009
12:02 pm
THE TRUTH, you’re an idiot. RW was targeted 20 more times in 2008 than in 2007. You make no sense.
bigeasy830
August 5th, 2009
12:04 pm
You Falcon fans comments reflects your attitude and is the reason Roddy should hold out. There is no loyalty or love in the NFL from the owner standpoint and therefore the player should do what is right for him. If Roddy returns and get hurt, the will lose millions. Hold out get your money Roddy. It is a business. If it don’t make dollars then it don’t make sense. Some of you are writing “trade him”, if you trade him for another receciever of his calibur you will pay that player what you should have paid Roddy. But, with or without him….
Falcons, 4-12 in 2009.
“Back To Life, Back to Reality”
Keith
August 5th, 2009
12:07 pm
Typical thug. It sure does seem like anytime there is a “hold out” they are black 90% of the time. They will have plenty of time to buy their 15 cars and gold chains.
Dr. Warren
August 5th, 2009
12:08 pm
How about trying to balance things out on the team and trade White for a great safety or defensive back…or two good ones.
db
August 5th, 2009
12:08 pm
Whatever happened to a contract being a contract? Get into camp and honor your contract. You’ll get your $’s. Blank and co treat players as well as anyone. There is no I in TEAM Roddy.
Mandy Memorandum
August 5th, 2009
12:09 pm
Memo to Mike Vick:
You, “sir,” need to be in prison….
…or a shallow grave…
… and OUT of pro football.
Mitch
August 5th, 2009
12:09 pm
Hey, I’m not going to work anymore until my employer decides to guarantee me money even if I don’t work for an extended period of time so that I will never have to work again. How does that sound? My employer would fire me on the spot and I’d be looking for work.
Roddy, honor your contract, be thankful you have a job, be thankful you have a job that pays you far more than you actually contribute to society, stop trying to get yours for the rest of your life at my expense (the fan that buys the tickets) and come to work.
You are a part of this team, but an interchangeable part. You can be replaced.
Why is Roddy a top five? Two good seasons? Seriously? If I had two good work years out of 5 I would not be employed.
Get to work!
Terrell
August 5th, 2009
12:11 pm
I love this, people trying to compare their salaries to Roddy’s as proof that he should be in camp it is so funny. If you get injured on the job you get worker’s comp if Roddy gets injured he will get cut, because like so of you have said the “Falcons don’t need Roddy” so if they don’t need him when he’s healthy then they won’t need him when he’s hurt. Oh MiltonDawg, for the people that make 25-40K that go to the games nobody makes you go that is your decision, so this is Roddy’s decision that he thinks works best for him.
Chris, your memory is not serving you well right now. The Falcons didn’t lock those two up until sometime after the bye week.
Mark
August 5th, 2009
12:12 pm
Fact of the matter is that he has an existinig contract – one of those silly, legally binding things that define the relationship between a player and the team. If he stinks it up this year, he is not going to say “sorry, I sucked, you don’t have to pay me as much. I was not worth it.” He says the contract is the contract – pay me.
Honor your contract and perform and you will be taken care of. Honor your contract and don’t perform and you will be gone when the contract expires. Simple deal.
Roy
August 5th, 2009
12:13 pm
Don’t waste the money trade him and move on we can win without him. I remember all the key passes he dropped! Grow up Roddy and be responsible and honor the contract you signed. I don’t think he will honor the contract so send him packing, No wonder i’m drifting away from pro football, college has become much more enjoyable.
Roy
August 5th, 2009
12:13 pm
Don’t waste the money trade him and move on we can win without him. I remember all the key passes he dropped! Grow up Roddy and be responsible and honor the contract you signed. I don’t think he will honor the contract so send him packing, No wonder i’m drifting away from pro football, college has become much more enjoyable.