The Europeans call it "gridiron"

[Nabubrush]

It looks like Merriman's main concern was that the way the league runs things, a rookie has no guarantees going into off-season workouts in reference to potential injuries. If he gets hurt, them's the breaks. I can see it from both sides, I just wish it wasn't always our friggin' number ones that have to dick around like this. Of course, everybody adores Ladainian Tomlinson and thinks he's a stand-up guy now, but how many fans remember that he sat out at one point, too?

(Disclaimer: I adore LT and think he's a stand-up guy.)

I sure wish we had a better wideout corps, but then we'd be trending toward the Indy region and we all know how well that works.

[Lister]

The Chargers are notorious for being slow negotiators who eventually cave.  I can't recall a #1 pick of theirs that made it into camp on time.  Not sure why it happens, but it's too common to be coincidence.  It doesn't seem to be anything the players set out to do on their own.

Now that I'm out here, though, I hope they're good enough to knock out the filthy Pats, but not enough to beat the Colts or the Mighty Pittsburgh Steelers.  Sometimes I think I like too many teams...

Tangent: I think rookie wage scales will be a big part of the next CBA negotiations.  If that happens, first round holdouts might go away, and I would be happy to see it.

[Asherdan]

If he gets hurt, them's the breaks.

Not really, the understanding is if a pick gets hurt in mini's he gets contracted for the average price from the previous year plus the standard yearly % increase.

Example: Last years #X pick got $100, this years percentage (almost a cost of living type growth) increase is 3%, so a fair market for pick #X is $103.

So if a guy gets hurt in mini camp before contract he gets a 1 year contract under established terms and the team takes care of the medical side too.

Holding out is simply a tactic to use in negotiations, as in "I may be pick #X, but I'm freaking special and deserve more than the standard amount for my pick level. Oh, and I'm not coming in 'till you and my agent agree on how special I am."

This is why you virtually never hear of some dude from round 3 or lower holding out. The hundred dudes picked before you prove you're not very special and teams just say "later".

And some dudes (LT for example) prove they are special after the holdout  and were worth the investment. But not many, especially in their first year (probably like Merriman, a guy adapting to a new pro position and techniques, along with everything else).