As we approach the pre-season, things aren’t entirely smooth sailing just yet for a few franchises around the league. Ask the Washington Commanders. Their WR1 is looking for a new deal with an unspoken “or else” on the side. The situation isn’t much more joyful for the Bengals either. Their star defensive end, Trey Hendrickson, is yet to report to training camp. But there’s one franchise that’s got a little more going for them.

As per Good Morning Football‘s Manti Te’o, Hendrickson called the Bengals’ offer “atrociously low.” Part of their rather public back-and-forth all offseason over his contract value. Meanwhile, about 1,300 miles away in Denver, Sean Payton might find some peace in knowing that his wide receiver perhaps has no such motivations amid a similar struggle to get an upped deal.

However, when it comes to the Bengals, this isn’t anything new. They have often faced the same issue with their non-quarterbacks. As per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the franchise offered one year of guaranteed money. The Defensive End is looking for multiple years of guaranteed money. Many have supported the Bengals’ star. While Bengals’ owner Mike Brown appears firm in his belief that the offer is good enough, Hendrickson is refusing to budge. They are facing similar trouble with their 2025 first-round pick (17th overall), Shemar Stewart.

While some players like Hendrickson chose to hold out and force the issue, Denver Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton is playing it a bit differently. He was recently spotted at the team facility. That might mean that he’s staying close to the action, even though he’s facing his own contract frustrations. “According to members of the media who were at Dove Valley today, Courtland Sutton was spotted out there. That means he’s not holding out from camp as he’s looking for a new deal,” the host said on an episode of Broncos Syndicate.

The host further explained the drama of the reported ask for a $23 million deal. “I think that’s kind of the area that Courtland Sutton is hoping to settle on, around this $23 million a year. The Michael Pittman, Deebo Samuel, Calvin Ridley area, just above Chris Godwin. I think that’s more than fair and more than realistic for Sutton if the Broncos were going to do a long-term deal. There’s no way of knowing for sure what the Broncos are thinking right now. I think that realistically, they’re prioritizing getting extensions done with Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto first. Afterwards, they’ll think about getting something done with Courtland Sutton,” the host said.

This isn’t the first time the WR has voiced displeasure. Last offseason, Sutton made a statement by skipping OTAs, only to report for mandatory minicamp and training camp as Denver added a few incentives. It worked well for the franchise and Sean Payton. Sutton had a strong season with 81 catches, 1,081 yards, and 8 touchdowns.

Now, all eyes are on whether the Broncos will step up again or if Sutton’s patience wears thin. Sutton has shown up, perhaps hoping that his presence and performance will help push talks toward a new deal. Meanwhile, Hendrickson has been firm in his stance. He is reportedly racking up $50,000 fines each day in the protest. He is not alone. He has Terry McLaurin for company.

Terry McLaurin stands firm in his claim

McLaurin seems to be following the same path as Hendrickson. As per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, he skipped the Commanders’ conditioning test. And to be honest, it’s not all that surprising. Back on July 15, McLaurin told reporters that he was “pretty frustrated” with how contract talks have been going with Washington. “Everything that has transpired up to this point has been disappointing and frustrating. I want to continue my career here,” he explained.

So far, though, there hasn’t been any real movement. McLaurin is heading into the final year of the three-year, $68.2 million extension he signed back in 2022. McLaurin has been the Commanders’ top receiver every year since entering the league, leading the team in receptions and yards for six straight seasons. He has $15.5 million in base salary this season, with only $2.8 million guaranteed.

The worst part is that he has no financial security beyond next year. That makes playing under his current deal a risky bet. To add insult to the injury, he’s not even the highest-paid receiver on the roster anymore. Newcomer Samuel, signed this offseason, makes $650,000 more per year than McLaurin, as per Over The Cap. It remains to be seen how the Commanders move ahead with McLaurin, given their positive momentum this offseason following last year’s surprise run to the NFC Championship game.