RGIII Signed, When Will Blackmon?
By Luke Sims
With Robert Griffin III signed by the Washington Redskins on July 18 to a four year, $21.11 million deal the top eight draft picks have suddenly been broken into. No longer are they the weird bunch of picks holding on until just before camp. Now they are the group that Luke Kuechly almost started the trend for: distraction free.
The distraction that is a major NFL contract hangs over the heads of rookies more than we can imagine. Coming out of college I had no job so I went back to grad school. Of my friends that did immediately get jobs, none of them were making seven figure salaries. The pressure to make money for your skills, money that can support you and your family for life, is stacked on the shoulders of 21, 22, and 23 year old men when they enter the NFL. We aren’t talking about that first job that nets you $20-$35,000 a year – we’re talking about figures that can set you for life just with the signing bonus and making the team for a little bit.
Props to RGIII for getting it done and being ready to get into Redskins camp on time. So, when will Justin Blackmon – the Jags top pick and hope of the offense – sign? When will the massive decision that will change his life be made? While it has to be done by camp on July 26 in order for Blackmon to participate during all of training camp, it will be nice to no longer have to worry about the dollar figures hanging like an ominous cloud over Blackmon’s head.
Gene Smith and Co. will want Blackmon done and in the bag soon, and with RGIII’s signing it seems more probable that this will be getting done sooner rather than later. Smith has been able to get things done when they are needed to (See: Scobee, Josh) and will have a heavily vested interest in getting Blackmon on the team and showing his skills in training camp for everyone – including the public – to see.
Will his deal be around $21.11 million? I doubt it. But if he isn’t signed up for the next four years, I’ll be shocked.
– Luke N. Sims
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