April 1, 2009
Hold on to the Holdouts
by Keith Weiland
Keith@IntheBullseye.com

Cornerback Dunta Robinson and linebacker DeMeco Ryans have informed the Texans that they will be skipping next week’s voluntary workouts. Considering how each vociferously expressed their respective displeasures with their contract situations more than a month ago, the decisions from each are not all that surprising.

These are situations, however, that general manager Rick Smith will need to address sooner rather than later. While Smith and the team hold most of the leverage in both negotiations, the presence of these two defensive leaders on the field this offseason might prove critical to Smith’s job security if his stars fail to shine once the regular season begins.

The Texans levied a franchise tag designation on Robinson before the onset of unrestricted free agency, something he understood from Smith would not happen but was well within the rules to occur at the team’s discretion. Until he signs the tender, Robinson is not under contract and therefore not even required to attend mandatory functions, much less next week’s conditioning sessions.

It is tough to really blame Robinson for his decision to skip these workouts. He is by far the most at risk since an offseason injury not only threatens his chance at negotiating a long-term contract, but it also might force him into a grievance situation for his 2009 salary as well before he signs. A scenario in which he sits out a significant portion of not only mini-camps but training camp as well is within the realm of possibility here.

Ryans’ situation is a little different. Playing the final season of his rookie contract, he would likely be assessed fines by the team if he continued his holdout and missed any mandatory workouts. He wants to sign long-term with the team, mostly because he feels he has already outplayed his first contract. Unless a new collective bargaining agreement is struck between the owners and the players’ union before March 2010, Ryans would be a restricted free agent next year. His potential earnings, at least in the short-term, would be severely limited in that scenario without a new multi-year contract from the Texans.

Perhaps not coincidentally, both head coach Gary Kubiak and team owner Bob McNair have openly expressed the team’s desire to find impact players at linebacker and defensive back in this month’s draft. Are they directly seeking replacements for either? Probably not, as the depth around both veterans is questionable at best, but there’s the bulletin board material for both Robinson and Ryans nonetheless.

The problem for Smith (and Kubiak, too) is that he needs both players happy and healthy in 2009. These are productive team leaders in the prime of their careers on a defense sorely lacking in plus talent. While the mood at Reliant Park doesn’t seem to suggest any unrest with either the general manager or head coach, a disappointing result this season could make McNair’s decision to bring both back in 2010 a difficult one.

Smith owns the leverage. He doesn’t have to do anything regarding the contracts for Robinson and Ryans. One has his franchise tender and the other is already under contract. But it would be foolish of him not to make further attempts to reach better long-term agreements with both, for their good ...and his.

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