This is pure speculation on my part, but Keller is in his contract year. The hammy he sustained was about 5 weeks ago and really didn't look all that serious. He walked off the field just fine. I'm having a hard time believing a tweaked hammy is keeping him out 3 weeks into the season, and wonder if he's pulling a "pay me or I won't play" stand. We've seen it before in the NFL and this certainly wouldn't be the first time. Also considering we havent seen any new info on the hammy, really makes me wonder. Granted, he played week 1 (a bit) but Hillis pulled the exact same thing last year. I'll feel a lot better when I see him play and play a full game.
I don't think so, hammy's do linger for a long time ... remember he did play a little week 1 too. Wouldn't it be in his best interest to put up big numbers this year too?
How does sitting out help his negotiating position? Seems he'd want to play and prove he's worth more bucks.
or 1 of 2 things 1) he doesn't want to get seriously hurt by playing which would damage his value next year in a big way 2) he may very well have a bit of a hammy...but something he could probably play through but won't, for the reason you noted in your post. Either way it's beginning to concern me.
No, why would he sit? This season is going to determine what kind of deal he gets.... or doesn't get.
not necessarily... if he plays and tears an ACL he's not getting jack shit. If he doesn't play and can blame a lingering hammy teams will largely look to his past production. he could also be forcing the jets hand by saying "look at what you can't do without me" which would drive up his price with the jets, based on seeing that. personally, i think he stands more to gain by playing the hammy card for much of the year. hope im wrong.
Hamstring's can be weird injuries. They can linger for a while. I dont think he is pulling a mini-holdout.
doesnt have to be, but with the receiving option pressure, keller becomes a key piece to the offense and he knows it. he's already sitting there watching cumberland run a seam and not turn around for the ball, with jets WR's dropping passes left and right, and shooting mike t a look doing the pay me gesture with his hand. i hope im wrong and he trots out there this week and plays in full.
Every game Keller misses lowers his value. He needs to earn his next contract and prove he deserves it this year. Hamstrings are a pain in the ass. You don't want to reactivate a hamstring injury. Revis missed like 4+ games in 2010. We should have sat Keller week 1, instead he hurt it again and he's missing 2 more games. This team better pull it together for San Fran. We need Keller, badly. Thomas would be nice as well. No this isn't a mini holdout.
100 %. He's not going to get a big contract if he doesn't get on the field. Now is when he needs to prove his value on the field. He's hurt.
If you're trying to prove your worth, last thing you're going to do is "hold out", in my opinion, he just wasn't THAT pivotal last year, even though he was the #1 receiver.
yes, a player with a relatively marginal career so far is more worried about a random injury that could reduce his next contract rather than playing the best possible football of his career and increasing his value. this isn't John Abraham whose value was obvious and couldn't risk further injury, this is a player that still has to show his value. that means he has to play.
Players don't usually hold out during the season. Even that season with Revis, I'm sure he would have come in and played.
Not saying there's any merit to this thread, but Santana Moss did that very thing with an equally marginal career with the very same type of injury and got himself traded and paid. I know WR is a different situation, but it's not unheard of.
