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JC Tretter

Update: Latest On The NFL Combine

February 20th, 2022 at 7:15pm CST by Ely Allen

7:15pm: True to our suspicions, it turns out a mass boycott of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is just what the prospects’ agents had in mind. According to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, agents who represent more than 150 draft prospects will organize a boycott of all testing, on-field workouts, and interviews at the Combine. If that number is accurate, it represents nearly half of the Combine’s invited athletes.

Further tweets from Pelissero and Rapoport explain that agents are pushing for players to be allowed access to their full team of coaches, trainers, ATCs, etc. If these demands aren’t met, most top prospects are expected to only perform medical evaluations in Indianapolis.

The ball is now back in the NFL’s court as lines have been drawn in the sand.

6:15pm: Yesterday, the NFL informed college athletes invited to the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine of increased restrictions surrounding the event in the effort to create a “bubble” environment for protection against the spread of COVID-19. We noted yesterday that the extreme measures were not sitting well with prospective employees and that displeasure from the athletes involved could soon be voiced.

Well, less than 24 hours later, the NFL Players Association has stepped into the conversation. In a letter sent out to potential Combine participants’ agents, the NFLPA voiced their “long standing opposition to the NFL Scouting Combine.” A copy of the letter was first tweeted out by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

In the letter, the players’ union called out the “NFL’s proposed ‘bubble'” along with the league’s “antiquated system of every team doctor examining players and having them perform yet again.” The Association calls for “serious modification or elimination” of the current system.

Now, the NFLPA has no involvement in the Combine. Players are not usually introduced to the union until their rookie orientations, with the exception being players who participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl all-star game. The letter acknowledges this fact claiming that “while (they) do not represent these players (they) have advocated for their rights to fair treatment.” NFLPA president and current Browns’ starting center J.C. Tretter tweeted out his thoughts saying, “This year’s NFL Combine is an example of what happens when players are not yet represented by a union.”

Players declaring for the NFL Draft are solely represented by their respective agents. Word has it that many agents have been advising their clients not to participate in this year’s combine, opting to display their abilities at their schools’ Pro Days. We noted yesterday that this is a luxury afforded to players who will certainly have many scouts attend their school’s Pro Day. Players at smaller Group of 5 schools and FCS schools may be relying on the Combine to display their talents and, as a result, will have to subject themselves to the overwhelming restrictions enforced by the NFL.

We are nine days away from the scheduled start of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, and more updates on the situation are certainly expected. With the support of the NFLPA’s “long standing opposition,” if a significant number of prospects protest this year’s testing, we may see the end of the NFL Scouting Combine as we know it.

NFC Camp Notes: Seahawks, Lyerla, Eagles

June 22nd, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Rory Parks

Now that OTAs and minicamps are behind us, writers from around the league are looking ahead to training camp, anticipating roster battles, and wondering if anything we saw in the past few weeks of workouts will translate into the regular season. Here are some such notes from the NFC:

  • Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ most heated position battle will be at right tackle, where Michael Bowie and Justin Britt appear to have equal footing heading into training camp.
  • Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel lists 10 Packers storylines to watch before training camp, including JC Tretter‘s hold on the center position and how the team will replace Jermichael Finley. Perhaps undrafted tight end Colt Lyerla, who Dunne also lists as a player to watch this summer, could be part of that solution.
  • Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, like most writers, notes that reports from OTAs and minicamps are typically full of optimism. But trouble always lurks beneath that hopeful veneer, and for the Eagles, that trouble comes in the form of depth along the offensive line and the wide receiver corps. Then there is the question of whether the team’s projected starters in the defensive backfield are good enough to compete on a weekly basis.
  • On the more optimistic side of the coin, Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com points to five reasons for Redskins fans to feel hopeful heading into training camp, including what promises to be a more productive pass rush.
  • Matt Bowen of The Chicago Tribune liked a lot of what he saw from the Bears‘ defensive unit this spring, including the promise displayed by Brock Vereen and Shea McClellin.