Tracking who is holding out as training camps open

With the start of training camps across the league, there are always reminders that at its core, the NFL is a business.

Meaning some players are not reporting for the start of camps due to their contract status.

Whether it is a veteran looking for a long-term extension or a younger player seeking that lucrative second deal, a few players have chosen to hold out at the start of training camp. Here is a running list of what players have not reported.

Orlando Brown Jr., LT, Kansas City Chiefs

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It is perhaps not a surprise, but left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. did not report to the start of training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The organization placed the franchise tag on Brown, and had until July 15th to work out a multi-year contract extension. However, the two sides failed to come to terms on an extension, meaning that Brown will play the 2022 season under the franchise tag, earning a fully-guaranteed $16.6 million in the year ahead.

However, as our own Doug Farrar has outlined, despite their aggressive push to sign Brown to a long-term deal, perhaps the Chiefs would be wise to take a more conservative approach.

Roquan Smith, LB, Chicago Bears

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Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is another player that will not be participating at the start of training camp due to his contract situation. According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the former first-round selection has “not yet received an offer he would remotely consider.”

Previously, it was reported that a long-term deal for Smith is the top priority for new general manager Ryan Poles. For his part, Smith has indicated that he wants to remain with the Bears.

During his time in Chicago, Smith has lived up to the first-round billing and become one of the league’s top off-ball linebackers. During the 2020 campaign, Smith posted 139 total tackles — including a career-high 18 tackles for a loss — along with four sacks and a pair of interceptions. As an encore in 2021, Smith recorded a career-high 163 total tackles, including 12 for a loss, along with three sacks and another interception.

Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals

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Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III is in a similar situation to Orlando Brown Jr. The Bengals placed the franchise tag on the safety during the spring and had until July 15 to work out a long-term deal with Bates, but the two sides could not come to an agreement.

Bates is set to play the 2022 season under the tag.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, guaranteed money is what kept the two sides from reaching a deal:

There is another angle to this situation, given what Cincinnati did at the end of the first round. The Bengals drafted Daxton Hill in the first round, a versatile defender out of Michigan who spent time at safety as well as in the slot. As head coach Zac Taylor noted on Monday, it is now on the rookie to be ready:

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