For the first time in the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell era, a Detroit Lions player is staging a training camp holdout. The Lions’ rookie camp opened on Tuesday. Second-round rookie OL Tate Ratledge failed to show up and is continuing his contract holdout.
Detroit Lions Rookie Stages Holdout and May End Up Regretting It
Like most of the second-round rookies, Ratledge is refusing to sign his contract. He is looking for a contract that includes fully guaranteed money . However, without a signed contract, Ratledge can’t attend training camp.
The problem originated when the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns signed their second-round rookies to fully guaranteed contracts. With that precedent established, the other second-rounders wanted similar guarantees.
With the rookies failing to report to training camp, it was only a matter of time before teams began to cave. As of this morning, two more NFL teams agreed to terms with their second-round draft picks. The Chicago Bears have a signed contract with DT Shemar Turner , and the San Francisco 49ers signed DT Alfred Collins.
However, as of Thursday, July 17th, there’s been no update from Ratledge’s agent or the Lions front office indicating a contract has been signed.
Why Ratledge May End Up Regretting His Holdout
Making the transition from collegiate athlete to the NFL is challenging, even for the most talented players. Newly drafted rookies are coming from an environment where they were regarded as the best in the NCAA. Perhaps they were given special treatment as a star player.
Suddenly, these rookies are thrust into an environment where the standards are considerably higher. They’ll be competing with veteran players or other talented rookies. It’s hard to stand out in that type of crowd.
Recognizing the difficult transition, the Lions offer an early rookie camp ahead of the veteran’s arrival. Rookies are given time to study the playbook, watch game films, learn the terminology, and get acquainted with the coaching staff. The coordinators and position coaches can offer one-on-one coaching. The staff can better evaluate the draft class without the distraction of veterans.
The Impact of Ratledge’s Holdout
As an inexperienced rookie who has never played an NFL snap, Ratledge needs that extra preparation time. Especially now, with the recent retirement of Lions Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow .
Primarily a guard throughout his collegiate career, Ratledge was drafted because of his versatility . A First-Team All-SEC in 2023 and 2024, Ratledge was also a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2023. At the NFL combine, he scored first in athleticism among all guards with a 98 and ranked second with his total score of 84.
Ratledge does have experience at center and could potentially replace Ragnow in the future. The opportunity to compete with and learn from Ragnow’s likely replacement, veteran Graham Glasgow, could prove invaluable. In addition, he has an opportunity to fill the gap created by the loss of free agent Kevin Zeitler.
Ratledge is entitled to negotiate his contract terms. However, not at the expense of the team. One of the things that has always distinguished the Lions since the beginning of the Holmes / Campbell era is the “team first” mentality. Personal agendas and disagreements do not come before team unity. Ratledge is the first rookie and Lions player to stage a holdout. He is placing his agenda ahead of the team.
This goes directly against the Lions’ culture and could strain his future relationship with the team and the coaching staff. If the contract stalemate continues, he’ll miss valuable training time. A prolonged stalemate could risk his eligibility to play this season. Ratledge has been given the chance of a lifetime to play professional football with one of the best teams in the NFL. He needs to think very carefully before pursuing a path that could negatively impact his career before it even begins.
Main Photo: [Junfu Han] – USA Today Sports
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