Donald Penn is coming back to the Raiders after holding out for more money. Reggie McKenzie, Raiders GM, said that he would not negotiate with anyone who was not with the team, and that likely pushed Penn to come back to camp. Donald is under contract and is not paid on the same scale as other elite left tackles in the game. Penn may be upset, but he is likely more upset with how the Oakland Raiders have prioritized their money.
The contract talks have changed
Derek Carr was given a huge raise at the beginning of the offseason, and the Raiders are paying him as if he were one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Donald Penn is possibly upset that the Oakland Raiders are now paying their quarterback more money than he should be getting, but the Left Tackle is being left out in the cold. These men are both millionaires and it would be hard to cry for either one of them. Penn likely wants to be paid on the level of someone who is guarding a quarterback who is worth that much money.
The team cannot change now
Donald Penn is under contract at a position where the Oakland Raiders pay him well, and he must be willing to work with the Raiders on their terms. Some fans might believe Penn's complaint is not founded in any sort of sane reality. We would all love to play football for the amount of money he is making, and it might make more sense to come to camp and talk with the team.
I do not know what the Raiders have told Penn but holding out and refusing to show up at camp like this does nothing.
He can wait
Donald Penn will be in line for a new contract when his current deal is up, and he will likely still be effective. I know that he could fall to injury at any time, but there are simply too many moving parts of the Raiders to be hamstrung by one contract.
The contract of the left tackle could have been higher, and the Raiders have improved since his last contract was signed. He is a great player, but he is guarding someone who is just as great. The quarterback is what makes most teams function. Many NFL teams avoid paying players at certain positions because they believe the quarterback is more important.
All NFL players put their bodies on the line because they are playing a violent game, but I do not think that players can magically make contracts happen. Penn is not underpaid. He simply is not paid in the top five of the league.
Donald Penn is one of the finest left tackles in the NFL, and there are many reasons to pay him. Holding out of camp only to return in a huff is not one of them.
